Where Do We Go From Here
by Moony-Blues
Summary: After the Eclipse, the Realms are still not secured and DG is still not safe. When threats are made, will Cain be able to protect her from the worst danger, himself? CDG, LA pairings, slight GAz later.
1. Aftermath

Where Do We Go From Here?

Chapter 1—Aftermath

They all stood on the balcony of the tower, eight people seemingly frozen in time, watching the suns move out from behind the moon. The lines of light moved swiftly, unveiling the majesty and splendor, as diminished as it was, of the Outer Zone. Mountains and valleys stood in sharp relief in the pseudo-dusk, and Central City gleamed, as if reminding the people of its former glory and the glory it could again hold. It was simply breath-taking…and she was seeing it all as if for the first time.

She did not notice the passage of time, nor the fact that all but one of the others had moved away from the railing. She simply enjoyed the beauty of the sights before her. Soon, the suns were out full, and their light beaming down upon the O.Z. Sighing deeply, she turned to her right, and was startled to find Cain still there, the only one left in the room besides herself.

"Mr. Cain!" she exclaimed, her brow creasing with worry.

"What's wrong, kiddo?"

"You've been hurt." DG pointed at his shoulder, where a gaping hole had been torn in his coat. The blood was still wet, but the wound itself was no longer bleeding.

"Don't worry about it. The bullet went clean through, and Raw is more than just a talented Viewer. He took care of the worst of it."

"Oh…good." her voice trailed off. They stood there, slightly awkward, neither quite sure of what to say to the other. She knew what she wanted to say, what she wanted to hear, but she also knew that it was impossible. She was just a kid to him, as he made obvious with his familiar term of endearment. Perhaps that was all she should ever be.

Footsteps echoed through the hall, and DG turned to find Glitch coming through the door. Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she caught a shadow of an annoyed grimace cross Cain's face, but she didn't point it out, nor did she think Glitch noticed. He drew up short, stopping just inside the door.

"Oh, I didn't know you were here, too, Cain." He smiled good-naturedly. "But, DG, your mother and father would like you to join them. Azkedellia is preparing to deal with the Longcoats, and they want you to be there…and you, Cain. Jeb's asking for you."

"Well, this should be fun…" said DG. "What is she going to say, I wonder? How do you explain being possessed by a witch?"

"I guess it's time to see," said Cain as he followed her through the door.

The left the room, and walked down a tight spiral stair. At the base of the tower, they walked out onto a broad porch that stood up a shorter flight of steps from the ground. The resistance fighters, what few had actually been present for and survived the attack on the tower, had weapons trained on the remaining Longcoats, about fifty in all.

"So very few…" whispered DG, saddened at the high mortality rate of the day, despite what the Longcoats had done during their service to Azkedellia. They were still her people.

Azkedellia herself had changed in both her raiment and her demeanor. She was wearing a softer gown, flowing and elegant, in a soft cream. It stood in stark contrast to her raven hair, which was dressed in a simple braid draped over her shoulder. Her face, though firm, had softened, and no longer carried the malice and wickedness of the witch that had held sway over her for so long. She stood at the edge of the porch and looked down at what remained of her army.

"You will stand down. The Witch is gone. The Sorceress is thrown down. You will submit and be taken into custody. If you do not resist, and if you swear fealty to the Queen of the Realm, you will be allowed your freedom." She nodded, and the resistance fighters forced the Longcoats into ranks and marched them into the dungeons of the tower.

The Queen approached her elder daughter, placing her hand on Azkedellia's shoulder. Az turned and stepped into her mother's embrace, unable to hold back the tears any longer. The Queen stroked her daughter's hair as she held her tightly, showing her all the love and forgiveness that she had been denied for so long. Azkedellia's sobs slowly subsided, and the Queen led her back into the tower, up the stairs, to find a place for her daughter to rest her weary soul.

Ahamo followed his wife and child, lost in thought. They had to get Az to a place where she could rest, far away from the prying eyes of the people of the Outer Zone…and far away from their fear and judgment. Finaqua might suffice, if not for its proximity to the Cave. The palace on the Northern Island also had its merits, but also its dark memories. He doubted that any of his family would ever be able to live there again in peace. Regardless, Azkedellia simply could not stay at the Tower, nor should she.

He sighed deeply. They would think of something. Surely somewhere would be suitable.

As he walked through the corridors, trailing the Queen and Azkedellia, he passed Glitch and Raw on their way back to the "Brain Room."

"Going to consult your better half, Ambrose?"

"We're going to try! I almost wish the Alchemist was still alive so he could reinstall my marbles."

"Good luck," said Ahamo, chuckling warmly. He sincerely hoped that Ambrose's reunion with his brain would not ruin that earnest personality that made Glitch so endearing. Sometimes, Ambrose could be a pain in the ass. "Oh, have either of you seen Tutor?" When they both shook their heads, Ahamo said, "Oh well...I guess he's around here somewhere. Probably off licking his wounds, as it were."

Glitch and Raw entered the "Brain Room" reverently, as if they were loathe to disturb the silent reverie of the gods. They slowly approached the tank, and Glitch reached out and caressed the glass.

"Alright, Raw," he said, "Connect me to it. It's time to see if I know how to get me back to normal."

Raw stretched his hand out and touched the glass, then gently touched his other hand to Glitch's temple…

* * *

Author's Notes: Please review if you like the story or if you have any construtctive criticism. I know this is a completed work, but I'm still open to suggestions that would improve its quality.

Disclaimer for **entire** piece: I don't own Tin Man, its characters, or its settings. If I did, the miniseries would have actually had an ending. There are a few original characters in this piece, but I'm not going to claim rights to them as they belong in the context of the Tin Man fandom. I'm just playing around in Sci-Fi's toy box. And I must say...Wyatt Cain is a very pretty toy. ;-)


	2. Disappointed

Chapter 2—Disappointed

_Raw stretched his hand out and touched the glass, then gently touched his other hand to Glitch's templ__e…_

Raw's body tensed as he formed the connection between Ambrose and Glitch. He'd never get used to that feeling. Emotional and psychic energy flowed through him, from fingertip to fingertip, igniting every nerve in between with a tingling sensation. It was the blessing of his people to be able to see things that the rest of the denizens of the Outer Zone could not see, but that blessing came with its discomforts. This was no exception. At least this time it wasn't a painful sensation, as it had been for Lylo and Kalm under Azkedellia. It was, however, odd to the point of being slightly uncomfortable.

Glitch gasped as he was once again connected to the brain floating in the tank. For him, the sensation was just as strange. It was also slightly disorienting, as if his thoughts were not from his own mind. He could feel the warm fluid around the brain that kept it suspended in the tank.

"Learned anything interesting yet?"

Ambrose turned his head slightly to see Tutor standing in the doorway to his left.

"Only that I don't know how to put myself to rights without the Alchemist."

"You're absolutely sure of that?" asked Tutor.

"Yes, I am quite sure. I never knew anything about the techniques to begin with and there's no precedent for re-installing a once-removed brain…at least, not that I can remember. What I do know is that you can't just pop the brain back in and zip the lid back. The pathways between the cerebellum and the occipital and temporal lobes have to be rebuilt. They won't just fix themselves. There might be a doctor in Central City that can do it, but it's doubtful that he's still alive. Nephil never did like to be pushed around, least of all by Azkedellia."

"That's unfortunate, Ambrose. I'm sure that the Queen will help work something out."

"Raw tired…"

"Oh, sorry, Raw. You can sever the connection now. Tutor, don't forget that we'll need to bring Her Majesty down here so I can speak with her about the situation. The part of my brain that's left in my body won't remember."

"You have my word, Mr. Ambrose."

"Thanks," said Ambrose just as Raw removed his hands from the tank and Glitch's temple. Raw staggered a few steps, and then righted himself again. He folded his hands in front of him and walked to the window, resting himself against the ledge.

"Oh, hello! Name's Gli…oh, hi Tutor," stuttered Glitch.

"Welcome back Mr. Glitch. How much do you remember?"

"Remember?" he asked, giving Tutor a confused look. Tutor looked pointedly at the tank, then back to Glitch. "Oh! That! Umm…nothing, actually."

"Well, I guess dolling out the news is my privilege," said Tutor grimly. "The only person here who could have re-installed your brain got fried by his own favorite prod. Without the Alchemist, there's virtually no way to do it. He said that the neural pathways between the portion in the tank and what's left in your head have to be rebuilt by a doctor. They won't just build themselves, so you can't just plop this part back in your head and zip up."

Glitch's spirits sank and his shoulders sagged. "I should have known…"

"We'll need to bring the Queen down later to discuss options."

"Yeah," said Glitch sadly. He stroked the tank longingly, heart broken and disappointed. He didn't know what he'd been expecting, but the news was crushing. "We'll ask her to come down after they've all had a chance to rest. With all that's happened to the family, I can't really expect to be a priority."

"Raw sorry, Glitch. Raw wish there was better news," said the Viewer as he walked over and placed a hand on Glitch's shoulder. Glitch felt his spirits lift a little at the touch, as if Raw had given him an emotional boost.

"It's ok, Raw," he said. "There's time still."

The three of them walked out of the room.


	3. Failure

Chapter 3 – Failure

_Azkedellia's sobs slowly subsided, and the Queen led her back into the tower, up the stairs, to find a place for her daughter to rest her weary soul._

Cain stood outside on the porch, watching the Queen comfort Azkedellia, grateful for the girl's sake that someone was there for her. He turned, trying to quietly get away from DG, not wanting her to trail him through the Tower as he did what he had to do. _She's safe, she's with her family, and this place is crawling with Jeb's men. She'll be fine…she's not technically my responsibility anymore._ He didn't really believe that last part, not at his core. He'll always feel a duty to make sure she was safe and protected.

_Now when did that happen?_ Somehow, someway, DG had endeared herself to him. Maybe it was the fact that he'd already been through so much with her since he'd sworn to protect her. Had The Mystic Man known in what Cain would find himself entangled through that oath?

He stalked through the corridors, up staircases, and past cells, not knowing exactly what he was looking for, but knowing that it was there. On his way, he found some of the resistance fighters rounding up a few more mechanics and lab technicians. He stopped one of them.

"I need to speak to one of the technicians. Do you mind?"

The man replied in the affirmative, and waved over one of the yellow-and-black clad cronies.

"Where's the morgue?" asked Cain shortly.

"Wha—"

"Don't play dumb with me," growled Cain as he took hold of the tech's plastic shirt. "I know people have died in here, and I also know that the Sorceress wasn't one to leave them lie. She wouldn't want to deal with the stench. She'd also want to store those of important people for her viewers to do residual readings after their deaths. So, where – did – they – take – the bodies?"

"It…it's on the bottom level of the tower, w-west wing."

Cain released the crony, tossing him back to the men herding the prisoners into cells. He retraced his steps as far as the last staircase he'd taken, and took it down to the bottom of the tower, four levels below the opening to the porch. _Must be underground_, he thought to himself. There were four doors here, each at a cardinal direction, he knew, but the spiraling descent had long since caused his sense of direction to blur. _I'll just have to go with trial and error._

He started with the door immediately in front of him. The first door opened into some sort of closet. The second was the same. The third was the morgue. It was massive, and very cold. Several dirty and rusted tables stood in the room, evenly spaced along the left wall. There were no freezers, just slab tables, most of them occupied. Thick black tarps lay over all of them; feet protruding at the ends of the table. The one closest to the door had to be a Viewer, judging from the furry feet. The others were mostly barefoot, except one. The last one was wearing black patent-leather dress shoes.

A heart of lead sank into Cain's stomach as he slowly walked to the table. He reached out his hand then withdrew it, reluctant to disturb the tarp. Taking a deep, slow breath, he lifted a corner of the tarp and saw The Mystic Man's face. Tears immediately leapt to his eyes, but he set his jaw, determined not to let them fall.

"I'm sorry…I failed you." Cain let the tarp fall back over the body and rested his hands on the corner of the slab. "Why didn't you let me get you out of there?" Tears again threatened to fall from his eyes, and hardening his jaw to will them back wasn't working. He lowered his head and removed his fedora, paying his respects in silence.

Moments passed in silence, and he didn't notice her come to the door of the room. The room reeked of the stench of death, so she didn't actually enter. She stood at the door and waited…and waited. She'd almost given up when he looked up and placed his fedora back on his head. When he turned, she couldn't help but notice the tear-stains on his face…or the set of his jaw when he saw her. They stood in awkward silence for a few moments before she broke eye contact.

"Before you jump to conclusions—" she began.

"What are you doing down here?" Cain asked, rather gruffly.

Getting slightly defensive at his sharpness, she replied, "You left me up there. You snuck off, I turned around, and you were gone."

"I'm sorry you felt left out, Kiddo," he remarked bitterly, "but I had some things to attend to, and they don't concern you. That's why you didn't receive an invitation"

"I'm sorry you feel sorry for yourself, but you have no reason to bark at me because you think I'm intruding."

"This is none…" Cain stopped himself before he could say something he would truly regret. He glanced away, blinking away the blurriness in his eyes. "How did you find me, anyway?"

"I ran into some of Jeb's men and asked if they'd seen you," she said meekly as she stuffed her hands in her pockets. "They told me you were down here."

Cain looked back into her clear blue eyes, knowing that pushing her away was hurting her but unable to prevent it.

"You need to go be with your family…and I need to be with mine." He crossed the room and she moved aside to let him pass. He didn't look back as he stomped up the stairs, annoyed with her for following him, annoyed with himself for hurting her.

_She's just a kid…she doesn't deserve that, not with all she's been through in the last few days._ He hated himself for being so mean, but he had to keep her at arm's length. He still felt the burden to protect her, especially from him.


	4. Forgiveness

Chapter 4 – Forgiveness

_Azkedellia's sobs slowly subsided, and the Queen led her back into the tower, up the stairs, to find a place for her daughter to rest her weary soul._

The Queen and Azkedellia climbed staircases that seemed to ascend to the heavens themselves. Neither said a word, and Az took comfort just from the touch of her mother's arm around her shoulders. Sobs no longer shook her slender shoulders, but tears still ran freely from her eyes. Immediately following the eclipse, she had been too nervous about how people would receive her to think of much else, but now more emotions than she knew she was capable of feeling swept over her. She didn't even know where to begin to express them, let alone cope with them.

After a time, Az found herself being drawn onto a chaise and into her mother's arms. As her sobs began anew, the Queen whispered soft reassurances into her ear and rocked her as if she were still the little girl at the lake, before the witch, before the last fifteen annuals of desolation and destruction. More moments passed, with mother and daughter locked in an embrace that had too long been denied them.

When Az finally quieted again, her mother hugged her tighter and whispered the four words that she had not been able to utter in 15 annuals. "I love you, Azkedellia."

Az looked up into her mother's eyes, more tears welling in her own. "I've missed you so much, Mother! I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry…" her voice trailed off to a whisper.

Knowing that Azkedellia didn't want to hear her say that she wasn't at fault, the Queen merely said, "I forgive you."

To the Queen's great relief, Azkedellia smiled. Not a half-smile filled with grief and pain, but a real smile such as had not crossed her daughter's face since that terrible day at Finaqua. Azkedellia doubted that her mother would ever understand what those three words truly meant, nor how much power they held. Az knew that she would not be given forgiveness from everyone who was terrorized by the Witch, but Lavender's was the most important.

Someone at the door cleared his throat, and Az turned to see Ahamo standing just inside. She smiled at him, stood, and crossed the room, stepping into her father's open arms. Ahamo smiled across the room to his wife, who stood, and came to place her hand lightly on her daughter's back. They stood there, a family again, thankful that the long, dark night was over.


	5. Plans

Chapter 5 – Plans

Lavender stepped out of Azkedellia's chambers, taking great care to close the door quietly. There had been much crying, much forgiving, and much hugging over the past few hours. Finally exhausted and spent, Az had fallen asleep draped over the chaise. It was going to take much love and patience for Azkedellia to fully recover, but there was hope for her.

The Queen smiled. Hope: that very thing that the witch had tried to destroy. She had failed and been defeated. Hope endured for them all.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see her husband. Though time and hardship had changed them both, there was no denying the passion that they still held for each other. He took her into his arms and kissed her warmly. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensations of her husband's caresses. He kept them light, expressing a patient love that had sustained him during the long annuals of their separation. When they finally broke the embrace, he noticed a slight blush to her cheeks. No words were spoken. No words were needed.

He offered his arm, which she took with a warm smile, and escorted her down the hall to where the others were waiting. About half an hour before Azkedellia had fallen asleep, the Queen had sent Ahamo to find Jeb and Wyatt Cain, and Jeb's captains from the resistance forces. It was time to discuss retaking the Outer Zone.

"Thank you for coming, gentlemen," she said as she entered the room and her husband escorted her to the chair behind Azkedellia's own desk. "I know we've all had an exhausting day, so I'll attempt to be brief. First, Mr. Jeb Cain, how many more resistance fighters are there in the Realms?"

"No one knows for sure, Your Majesty," said Jeb hesitantly. "There were camps of us scattered throughout the wild lands, but we were mostly unorganized. If I had to put a number to it, I'd say at least three hundred. Then again, there could be more, and there could be fewer."

"Is there any way to organize them?"

"Well, sure. We'd have to send out scouts. There are a few men who served as messengers between various camps."

"Very well, Jeb," replied the Queen. "Dispatch them and request that all freedom fighters who would swear fealty once again to the Queen of the Outer Zone come here as safely and quickly as possible. We may need their assistance."

"I'll see to it that they're dispatched as soon as this conference is over," said one of the captains. "The farthest camp is a least a day's hard ride from here, but we can expect the first of the troops to be here within three days."

"And the Longcoats? What do we know of the rest of them?" asked the Queen.

Another of the captains stepped forward. "Azkedellia had recalled many of them here to the tower during the days leading up to the Eclipse. We had a spy on the inside who told us that almost two-thirds of her force was here when we attacked, and most of those died during the assault on the tower. The rest would be stationed elsewhere in the Realms."

"Should we consider ourselves safe here? Surely they would notice that there is light again in the O.Z. Would they come back here to investigate the failure?"

"It's possible," said a third captain who was leaning against a wall. "We didn't place a priority on intercepting their orders. Honestly, we didn't expect to survive the assault. But I expect we're safe enough for a few days."

"How many Longcoats did she have before today?"

"We know that only 300 were here today," said Jeb. "If our information was correct and that number is truly two-thirds of the force, then there should only be 150 of them left."

"Hardly enough men remain to mount an attack on the tower," said Ahamo.

"Hardly enough Longcoats, but there are still others in the O.Z. who were loyal to her," said Jeb. "Besides, we don't have them surprised anymore. That's the only reason our meager force was able to cut the ones here from 300 to just over 75."

"And most of those others Jeb is talking about are criminals and thugs," said the elder Cain, speaking for the first time. He was standing near the back of the room, hat in hands, looking slightly uncomfortable at the fact that he had been invited to a military planning meeting. _I'm just a washed-up old cop…_ "But even criminals and thugs can bear arms if they want to. They won't like the change of rule. Azkedellia let them do what they wanted as long as they didn't interfere with her plans to blanket the O.Z. in darkness. The remaining Longcoats will have to reorganize and recruit, but that might not take very long."

"Do we know how many of the former Central City Police are still alive?" Lavender asked Cain.

"Most of us that didn't defect with General Lonot joined the resistance. A few simply retreated to the outer edges of the Zone and tried to hide there with their families. When I was locked in the Iron Maiden eight years ago, Azkedellia had just begun her campaign to eliminate those who hadn't defected." No one missed the steel in Wyatt Cain's voice.

"Alright then," said the Queen, "we'll start by recalling all of the resistance fighters here so that we can organize their movements. By the time the first groups get here, we need to have an effective plan to root out the remainder of the Sorceress' forces. Jeb, Wyatt, I'll be relying on your advice for the time being. For now, I suggest we all get some rest. The suns are beginning to set."

Jeb and his men filed out of the room, but Wyatt hung back for a few moments.

"Your Majesty?" he asked tentatively.

"Yes, Mr. Cain?"

"Would you happen to know where I can find DG?" He tried to keep his face emotionless, but there was a slight dimness to his normally bright eyes.

"I believe that I saw her with Glitch and Raw somewhere downstairs, Mr. Cain," said Ahamo. "I passed them earlier."

Cain placed his fedora back on his head, careful to tip the brim, and said, "Much obliged."


	6. Remorse

Chapter 6 – Remorse

After leaving the "conference" with the Queen and her consort, Cain stalked off in search of the nearest staircase. He wasn't exactly sure where to find DG, but if she was with Glitch and Raw, he had the feeling that the "Brain Room" was the place to start. By the time he reached the correct level of the tower, he had begun to silently curse the architect that had designed the tower. _Wh__y the hell __did they have to put in__ so many damn levels?!_ Finally stepping off the stair case, he turned down the corridor that would take him through the double doors to the dimly lit chamber that held Ambrose's tank.

He couldn't help but feel a shiver down his spine as he walked into the room. Thankfully, he'd never have to force himself to get used to the sight of a disembodied human brain floating in a tank of amniotic fluids. He was also exceedingly grateful that his own brain was safely still inside his skull. He also couldn't help but notice that DG was nowhere to be found. In all reality, he knew that she wouldn't be so easy to find. Pinching the bridge of his nose, trying to ward off the growing tension headache, he blew out a deep breath and left the room.

Eventually, he ran into Glitch and Raw, who told him that DG had been with them, but had excused herself from their presence. Glitch, the deep well, must have noticed something in Cain's demeanor and correctly deduced that something was wrong.

"What's wrong, Cain?" he asked. "DG was out of spirits, and you look like you've been sucker punched."

"Let's just say that I owe her something," said Cain as he resumed his search.

After what seemed like hours of walking, climbing, and calling, he finally found DG sitting on the steps that led off the raised porch of the tower. She sat with her back to the tower, her feet resting on the step just below where she sat, her knees hugged up close to her body. As he approached, he saw that her chin was on her knees and her eyes were on the sky.

"They look so…different," she said. "And before you ask, yes, you did make that much noise. I heard you calling for me before you came out here."

Rather than respond, he took a seat next to her, taking off his fedora so he could see the stars without having to peer out from under its brim. He took a deep breath of the cool, clear air.

"Listen, Princess," he began, "I'm sor—"

"Please, Mr. Cain, just call me DG, and you don't have to apologize for anything, especially since I really should have expected your reaction to me following you."

"Now, what's that supposed to mean?" he asked, more than a bit startled and confused at the slightly bitter edge to her voice. DG hadn't shown herself to be even the emotionally guarded type, much less one to push away any person for any reason.

"Just that you don't need to apologize to me just because you feel bad about my reaction to you earlier and not necessarily because you think you were in the wrong." Again, the edge to her voice concerned him. _Is there any way to salvage this situation with dignity?_

"Hold it right there, Kid," he said, immediately regretting the reaction in her eyes to the reference, "—I mean, DG—what is wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me?" she repeated as she turned her head toward him, a storm clouding her normally clear blue eyes. "What's _wrong_ with me? Let's see, over the past three days, I've been thrown into a tornado, taken hostage by multi-colored Thanksgiving turkeys, terrorized by men in leather trench coats riding horses, ogled and harassed by DeMillo, chased by some more men in coats, imprisoned by an evil witch, sealed in a green marble tomb for all eternity by the aforementioned witch, and thrown off a balcony, all to have the one person that I'd learned to lean on for some moral support push me away just when he'd started to open up to me." She got out the entire list, plus the scolding, in one single breath. He barely had time to admire her lung capacity before having to process the last of what she said. She wasn't done, yet. "Earlier today, before the Eclipse, it felt like you were finally starting to treat me like an equal, and not some annoying kid that gets in your hair. Then, I turn around and POOF," she raised her hands emphatically, "we're back at your cabin, only this time, you're even more guarded than before." She opened her mouth as if she was about to say more, but seemed to reconsider and closed it again.

He sat there for a minute, not quite sure how to answer her. While he didn't totally agree with her assessment of the situation, he could understand how she felt when she said it. He was, however, still confused, but he didn't dare ask for clarification about what was going on in her head. He wasn't sure he really wanted to know.

"Princess," he said, and she turned her head away. "DG, look at me." She ran a finger under her eye as she turned her head back to meet his gaze. "I'm sorry." Truthfully, he felt like an absolute heel. He had sworn to protect her, a duty which to which he still considered himself committed, and he'd actually contributed to a situation that had hurt her. He didn't see the steel in her eyes softening, but he couldn't say anything more to convince her of his earnestness.

* * *

She held his gaze for a very long moment, trying to read his expression, but ultimately failing. The distance was still there, and it hurt. She really didn't know why it hurt her so much…she just knew that it did hurt, and badly. He didn't realize—he couldn't realize—exactly how much strength she had drawn from the little bit of light that had broken through that tiny chink in his emotional armor that morning. 

Finally, she turned away from his gaze, and just sat there, the ache in her heart growing. She couldn't deny to herself any longer that she wanted more than his friendship. She had made one of the classic Hollywood-sized mistakes. The damsel in distress had fallen in love with the knight in shining armor. The only problem was that this particular knight in shining armor was old enough to be her father, had recently learned of his wife's death, had only just met his son after an eight-year separation, and had spent those last eight years in a tin box being tortured by the images of Zero abusing his family. _Talk about emotional scarring…_ A small tear rolled down her cheek, thankfully on the opposite side from where Cain sat. _I've really stepped in it now.__ I can't believe I didn't stop myself from thinking that I could ever be more than…_

They sat there, just the two of them, watching the stars of the Outer Zone circling the heavens. She thought they were beautiful, if a little strange. She couldn't make out any constellations, and they seemed to be closer than the stars on the Other Side. In addition, she was painfully aware that he was still sitting next to her. His own distinct smell, _probably just soap_, permeated the air between them. He shifted his position and she could hear his woolen duster rustle. She could feel the weight of his gaze, could feel the calculating assessment there. It wasn't personal concern. She was a duty to him; nothing more and nothing less.

She knew…without anyone having to tell her, she knew. She was just a kid to him, an annoying kid. And she could never, ever, be more than that. Those ice-blue eyes would never melt for her. Maybe someday, she would be ok with that. Maybe someday, she might move on. Maybe someday…maybe not.

* * *

He didn't move from his spot next to her. He stayed right where he sat, not knowing exactly what he was feeling other than the need to protect her. Failure didn't sit well with Cain, and he had failed today in what he considered to be his most sacred duties. He had failed to protect an innocent man. That failure hurt, almost more deeply than the loss of his wife. _That's because you lost her eight annuals ago…the pain is hardly fresh_, he thought to himself. Now, he owed it to The Mystic Man to keep this little strip of a girl safe. The hard times weren't over, the enemies of the crown not yet fully vanquished. DG was still the key, and therefore still his responsibility. _And you'd better not start to think of her as anything but a responsibility, because that's when she'll get hurt. She'll get over this…hopefully._

"I'm going inside," she said suddenly, popping up quickly from her seat and twirling off so fast it made his head spin. By the time he was able to stand, she was practically running inside the Tower. He stood on the porch, wide-eyed and confused. _I'll never really understand women, least of all that one._

* * *

Azkedellia still slept upstairs, draped over the chaise where her mother had left her. But her sleep was uneasy, plagued by nightmares and memories. She couldn't escape the image of the wrinkled and wart-plagued face of the witch. She felt like she was running down a corridor, desperately trying to flee, but the witch was still there, and around her danced images of people, places, and lands that had been scorched by her hands. Zero was there, too, sneering has he dragged some poor wretch out of his house to be beaten. Mobats flew around her head, pulling her hair and scratching at her face. She tried to raise her hands to ward them off, but suddenly found that she was strapped to a table with the Alchemist standing over her counting backward from 100. The images blurred, and then she was sitting in a chair, both wrists strapped to its arms, hooked up to her own viewer tank, with tubes protruding from her head. Lylo came from behind her with the electric prod, demanding "Where is she!" She jerked awake just as he touched it to her torso. 

She looked around the darkened room, slightly disoriented, and struggled to remember the last few hours. She also suddenly realized that she was not alone. Sitting next to her on the chaise, Raw had his hand on her shoulder, his eyes closed. A slight warmth spread from his fingers into her body, and she felt the memories return. She remembered standing on the balcony over the orifice that was pumping magical energy designed to halt the movement of the suns. Then DG came climbing over the railing, holding out her hand. Az took it, and stepped off the opening, the magical energy from the Moretanium trapping the witch and allowing Azkedellia to be free of her. Next, she remembered her father, Ahamo, kissing her on the forehead and her family wrapping her in an embrace. Slowly, her breathing calmed and her heart stopped racing.

"Raw felt panic and fear," he said simply. "Raw followed it. Raw find Princess in trouble. Raw help."

Azkedellia looked into his warm brown eyes, full of concern and worry for her. She was astounded that he had come at all, given what was done to his people by her hands. She was further shocked when he continued.

"Raw know magic, can sense differences. Raw forgive…know it was not you." His gentle hands smoothed over her own. With each pass of his fingers, her world felt lighter. She smiled at him wearily.

"Thank you, Raw," was all she had to say.


	7. Reclaimed

Chapter 7 – Reclaimed

Two months slowly passed. The royal family was moved to Finaqua; its smaller campus, enchantments, and hedge maze made it a more defensible position than the Tower, which was to be converted into a long-term detention facility for those who betrayed the House of Gale. The resistance fighters, now commissioned as the Royal Militia, had moved to Central City to secure it from the Longcoats who had taken refuge there. Those members of the militia who had once been Tin Men eagerly accepted the Queen's invitation to reform their ranks. The citizens of Central City, those who were oppressed by Longcoats and their thugs, welcomed the Militia and then the Tin Men with open arms, looking forward to the stability that would follow them. The Tin Men made quick work of arresting supporters of the Sorceress who hadn't already been taken into custody by the Militia. Light began to pour into a city that had been dark and cold for far too long.

After Central City was secured, the Queen decided that her people needed a holiday, a chance to officially celebrate their liberation from the claws of tyranny and darkness.

"It shouldn't be a formal occasion," she said to Glitch, whom she retained as her aide, though they had not yet found a solution to reinstalling his brain. "It is, after all, for the general citizenry."

"Oooh…I love a good party!" Glitch had said delightedly. The Queen affectionately patted his arm and smiled at him. The date was set for exactly three months after the Eclipse, giving an entire month to make plans. And, after a solid month of dizzying preparations, the day approached, finding DG standing on a stool for a final fitting of her party dress.

"You know," she said to Azkedellia as she gave herself her typical wide-eyed observation in the mirror, "This really isn't half-bad. I had to wear skirts and dresses occasionally on the Other Side, and didn't really care for them—especially the one I had to work in. Now I'm beginning to wonder if that's because they weren't made to fit me. This one actually isn't that uncomfortable."

"That's because it's a casual dress. Just wait until your fittings for the first ball. You won't feel so _comfortable_ then."

DG good-naturedly made a face at her sister, with whom she was growing closer by the day. She thought that Az looked incredibly cute in her simple butter-yellow dress. It had a lower waist than DG's, fitting right around her hip bones, and was made of a few dainty layers of silk-like material that flowed beautifully around her ankles when she walked. Her hair was down, covering the broad straps of the dress, one side held up by a big yellow flower for which DG couldn't remember the proper name. She wore a simple ruby and silver necklace with matching earrings.

"As long as I manage to talk Mother out of me wearing a corset, I don't think I'll care too much." She gave herself a last appraising look in the mirror as the seamstress finished the last stitch on the hem of her own dress. It was a soft blue that matched her eyes. Her hair was styled much like Azkedellia's, except she had a small sapphire barrette in her hair rather than a flower. She wore no jewelry. Raven hair against milky skin, paired with the blue silk, made her almost look like an elf or a fairy from one of her story books on the other side. The waist of her gown was slightly higher, and the hem was around her knees. Paired with jewel toned slippers—_thank the gods they're not heels!_—the gown looked amazing on her, even if it did make her look a bit leggy.

"Thank you," she said to the seamstress as the woman gathered up her kit to leave. She was stepping off the stool when the seamstress opened the door, revealing Cain standing in the hallway with his back against the door frame. The dull ache in her heart which she'd almost forgotten over the last hour returned. It had replaced the heavy sharpness which had caused her to run from him that night on the Tower steps. She must have stopped mid-step, because she felt Az come up behind her and put an arm around her shoulders. Az smiled hopefully at DG, and but the only smile DG could manage was a humorless upturn of the corners of her mouth.

Since the Tower, DG had done her best to avoid being alone in the same room with him. At least when someone else was there, it was easier to ignore his coldness and formality. During the evenings, DG spent time with her family in the sitting room while he accompanied the Royal Guard on their rounds of the perimeter. She spent her mornings with her mother learning the history of the Outer Zone and her afternoons with Tutor learning about magic. Of course, he was always in the next room, or close by if she was outside, and she'd emerged from her chambers early every morning and found him sitting in the chair he'd put in the alcove across the hall waiting to escort her to breakfast. _When does he sleep?_

His proximity wasn't making it any easier to get over him, and the fact that he was escorting her to the party didn't help matters much, either. As he stood in the door, she noticed that he was dressed in his typical attire, though these were cleaner. _They must be __his "Sunday Best."_ With his steel-blue fedora was in his hands, his recently-laundered grey wool duster over his arm, and his gun in its holster, she could almost imagine him in one of the old Western movies her robot father had loved to watch on the Other Side. He wasn't wearing the leather vest, but his blue striped shirt and white pants were typical of his normal clothing. Almost too late, she realized that they were almost dressed to match. _Great…rumors will really start to fly about the Princess and her Tin Man now._ _If only he was my Tin Man._

She couldn't help but notice a brief look on his face as she walked to the door. That ghost of something she couldn't quite identify only added to the leaden feeling in the pit of her stomach as she took the elbow he offered and led her to the waiting carriages outside. It was little looks like that, those moments when his emotional armor chinked to show a glimmer of what he was feeling, that had her utterly confused when compared to his formal behavior. After three months, she knew that she wasn't just imagining them. Azkedellia had noticed. She'd be surprised if the rest of the family hadn't noticed.

In the great room, they found the rest of her family and some of the guards. The Queen and her Consort were dressed in rich reds trimmed with hints of gold. Glitch was there, dressed in golden tones. _So that's who's going to escort Az…_ DG gave them each an appraising look and decided that it wasn't altogether a bad pairing, even if they were both slightly uncomfortable. She smiled warmly at her sister across the room, who returned the favor. Raw, who would be joining them as well, had been groomed and washed and looked a bit sheepish standing next to the door.

The carriage ride was nearly two hours of uncomfortable silence. Raw had chosen to ride with them, but didn't bother to contribute to any conversation. He simply watched them and smiled good-naturedly, holding his opinions to himself. DG kept her eyes on the scenery out the window. Cain kept his gaze focused on the fedora he turned over and over in his hands, sometimes glancing at the princess next to him. DG would sporadically feel the weight of his gaze, but was determined to not give him the satisfaction of returning his gaze. She honestly didn't know what to expect this evening, as they hadn't shared more than two or three words at a time since the Tower. Her only hope was that she'd be able to convince him to take her to the apartments her family would be using early.

When they finally did arrive at Central City Square, they had to wait a few minutes before leaving the carriage. The guards had to secure their route to the dais upon which they would sit, and they had to file out in the proper order first: Lavender and Ahamo to their seats in the center of the dais, Azkedellia and Glitch to their left, and DG and Cain to their right. DG felt Cain tense when he saw that he was expected to sit with the family at the center of attention. Though she wanted to laugh at his discomfort, she kept herself to a quiet grin. _Maybe this won't be so bad after all_.

The night was pleasant enough for DG, who enjoyed the music and the lively dancing, which almost reminded her of square dances. The food was wonderful, too. She sat immediately to the right of her father, with whom she enjoyed a running dialogue comparing this party to customs from the Other Side. DG's favorite part was the small entertainment troupe that performed acrobatics and comic skits, especially the slap-stick portions that both she and her father compared to the Three Stooges. She lost track of time, and before long was yawning contentedly, resting her chin on her hand, earning a slightly disapproving look from her mother because her elbow was on the table. DG just smiled back and the Queen rolled her eyes exasperatedly at her daughter. She'd even almost forgotten that Cain was sitting next to her, until she yawned particularly deeply.

"Princess," he began, waiting for her to reply. When she didn't, he started again, this time a little more commandingly. "DG, I think it's time that you get some rest for the night."

"Oh, come on, Mr. Cain," she said, turning her blue eyes to meet his for the first time that evening. As she did, she noticed another one of those looks cross his face. _Damn that man…_ "It couldn't be that late!"

"Yes, it could." He held up a watch that he'd acquired a few weeks earlier, and she saw that it well past midnight.

"Well, what do you know, it's after midnight," she replied facetiously. "This is hardly the first time that I've stayed out past my bed time." She smiled at him.

All he did was exhale and give her an annoyed glance that reminded her of when she insisted on freeing Raw from the cocoon in the Fields of the Papay the first day they met. She gave him the same smile she had that day and turned her head back to watch the festivities.

_

* * *

Does she know what that smile does to me?_ He'd been fighting himself over the last three months, trying to keep her at arm's length, trying to keep her safe and protected. But Wyatt Cain felt like he was fighting a battle he would eventually lose. He kept his demeanor around her cold and formal, hoping against all hope that those pale blue eyes would stop seeking his. He'd learned to read her well, even that wide-eyed and seemingly blank stare that she put on when she was feeling overwhelmed, tired, exasperated, or just confused. After three months, there was little about her that he hadn't learned. That's why he knew that it wouldn't be long before she fell asleep at the table with her chin still in her hand. She never knew it, but he came in late almost every evening from the patrol to find her curled up in an arm chair, fast asleep, close to the fireplace in the informal sitting room. He knew that she was well past the time when she normally was sleeping soundly in her chambers, and he really didn't want to carry her to the apartments set aside for her in the city. 

She yawned again, this time more forcefully than before. Cain got a quick glance and nod from Ahamo, then stood and tapped DG on the shoulder.

"Come on, Princess," he said, this time ignoring the sharp look at the title, "it's time to go now."

She rolled her eyes, turning to her father seeking his support. When she saw that Ahamo was standing and Lavender was taking his arm, she gave up and took Cain's offered hand. Once standing, she slipped her hand under his elbow and let him lead her to their carriage. Her small hand almost felt too welcome on his arm. He wanted to close his other hand over hers, but denied himself that contact. He offered her his hand as she stepped up into the carriage, and then again as she stepped out of it outside what would be the Royal Residence for the remainder of the time it took to secure the Realms. Her small hand again slipped under his elbow, and she leaned on him slightly as she fought the drowsiness to walk. That extra weight made his heart, that lump of cold stone that he'd encased in tin armor, jump into his throat. He knew that he was fighting a losing battle…but at that moment he almost didn't care.


	8. Threats

Chapter 8 – Threats

DG woke late the next morning and just lay in her bed for as long as possible. Her dreams had been filled with Wyatt Cain and what could have happened at the party if he hadn't been pushing her steadily away since the Eclipse. Not wanting to lose the feeling of being in his arms in her dreams, she snuggled further under the blankets. After several minutes, she realized just how desperate she must have looked and sat up, shaking all thoughts of the dreams from her head.

Since she was already late, she didn't bother to hurry through her bath. Her wash room and wardrobe had been made ready for her arrival, complete with soft, fluffy towels, soaps of varying shapes and colors and scents, and clothes that had been brought for her from Finaqua. _We must be staying here for a while._ She drew her water as she laid out her clothes on her bed. Sinking into the warm water, she sighed luxuriously. _Yep…there are some perks to being a princess that will never, ever get old_. On the Other Side, she would have just jumped in the shower, but she was growing to appreciate a good soak in the tub. Her fingers had just started to wrinkle when she decided it was time to get out. She dried off and pulled on the simple, soft dress she'd laid out. Her clothes from the Other Side had mysteriously disappeared after the move to Finaqua, no doubt her mother's handiwork. When she'd found an appropriate pair of slippers and pinned her hair out of her face, she walked to the door and steeled herself.

Cain wasn't there. He'd broken his habit of waiting outside her door for her to wake. Too stunned to move, she stood outside her door, her eyes wide.

"Good morning, Princess!" She turned to find Glitch coming down the hall toward her. "Her Majesty sent me to find you—what's wrong?!"

"Nothing," said DG as she furiously wiped at the tear that had started to roll down her cheek. "I just…I…"

"He left this morning," Glitch said, gently putting a hand on her shoulder. When she turned her wide, puzzled eyes to him, he said: "Everyone could tell, sweetheart, even Cain. He came to find me this morning when you didn't wake early enough, but he said that he'll be back. He—"

"That's ok," she interrupted, not wanting to hear the excuse that Cain had left for her. "I really need to go find my mother anyway." _Just put one foot in front of the other._

* * *

He really hated himself now. He'd tried to wait so he could at least tell DG where he was going. But midmorning came and went and he had to act on his contact's information before it was too late. Protecting her life had taken priority over protecting her feelings. 

After escorting the princess to her chambers the previous evening, he'd walked back outside to help the Guard secure the perimeter. That's when he'd seen DeMilo slinking around in the shadows of the alley across the street from the main gate. DeMilo had proven to be a useful bit of slime around Central City. When the Militia, and later the Tin Men, had rolled in, DeMilo eagerly rolled over on his traitorous "friends" in exchange for his freedom, on a very short leash, of course. And what he had to tell Cain that night was far from welcome news.

"I can't be seen givin' you this information, so listen close because I gotta scram," he said.

"I'm listening, DeMilo," said Cain, "but I'm not getting any closer to your greasy self, so just spill it."

"I got word on the street that someone's planning revenge on the Sorceress. I didn't get any further details, except this note, that I was instructed to leave, anonymous-like, at the front gate." He handed the note to Cain, then added: "I ain't read it, but I knew that I'd better get it to you before you found out I was the messenger."

Cain broke the wax seal on the note and opened it, reading it quickly then looked back at DeMilo, who also saw the note's contents. "Who gave you this?!"

"I didn't—"

Grabbing the smaller man by the neck and pushing him against the brick wall of the buildings, Cain bit out: "Don't tell me you didn't see him, because, obviously you did. You trusted him well enough to take a sealed envelope from him, which means you knew him. Who gave it to you DeMilo?"

"I swear to all the gods, I never knowed his name!"

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, I swear, I swear!"

"Ok, then," said Cain as he grasped DeMilo's earrings. He didn't even have to pull this time.

"Alright, alright, alright! The only name he ever gave was Black! I don't know how to contact him, I don't know his real name, and I don't know what his face looks like, 'cause he always wears a hood. He's tall and big through the shoulders."

Releasing the golden hoops, Cain patted both cheeks. "That's better. Why didn't you just drop the note so I could hunt you down later?"

"I'd 'a loved to," he said, "But I knowed you wouldn't be so friendly if I hadn't waited and gave it to you in person."

"Smart man," replied Cain. "But I think I would have enjoyed the hunt more. Keep your ears open, because I will come find you later looking for more information. And if you want to stay out of the Tower, you'd better not disappoint me. Depending on how well I do or don't like your information, I might throw you in with Zero right _after_ telling him about the bed-sheet bingo game you played with his wife."

"I hate Tin Men…" grumbled DeMilo as he skulked back down the alley.

Cain now stood outside a seedy-looking building, reading the note again before folding it up and putting it back in his pocket. He'd shown it to the Queen and Ahamo, and all three agreed that no one else should know of it until Cain could find out who had authored it. It simply read:

_Surrender the Sorceress or both "princesses" will die._

It wasn't signed, and it was printed on a press, so handwriting wasn't an applicable clue. He knew that DeMilo frequented this particular establishment. The suns were standing just past midday, and he hoped he wasn't too late to see if a man matching the one DeMilo had described. He had to find this guy, and soon. But the suns rose higher in the sky and no such man emerged from the whore-house. At mid-afternoon, he gave up and mounted the horse he'd taken from the stables. After a short ride through the roughest parts of town with his gun in plain view, he found DeMilo's favorite tavern. He made sure to dismount and tether the horse in the shadows of an alley before taking up a post that would let him see the entrance to the pub. Hours passed, and people began trickling into the tavern with increasing frequency. At dusk, he slipped inside, choosing a seat at a small, dark table in the back corner of the room in easy view of the door. He didn't look at the bar wench who came to take his order, nor did he even acknowledge her when she brought him his mug and meal. His focus was set on that door, and it wouldn't waver.

For hours and hours, Cain sat in that dank bar waiting for the hooded man. He saw DeMilo come in, the slimy little man fool enough not to look around enough to notice Cain's presence. Cain was still nursing his first mug of ale at closing time. He followed DeMilo out as his party left, tapping him on the shoulder and pointing to the alley where he'd tethered his horse when the little man turned around. _I'm never going to stop loving the look on his face when he sees me_, he thought with a sadistic little grin.

DeMilo met him in the alley, and Cain shoved him against the wall again.

"So, where was he?"

"He doesn't always come, Cain! He was on his way out of the city last night."

"When does he plan to move against the House of Gale?"

"I don't kno—since when do you care so much?" asked DeMilo. Cain simply glared at him. "Oh…no need to expl_ain!_"

DeMilo's voice pitched up as Cain grabbed him by his collar and lifted him off the ground. "You know what they say about assumptions, right?" DeMilo just nodded. "Don't make any then. Besides, it's not your business. Now, tell me what you know."

"I seriously know nothing! The man is in the city infrequently. I've only seen him a few times. I don't know why he picked me to post the notice, he just did!"

Cain lowered him back to the ground and let go. "Alright, fine. Keep your ears and your eyes open. If you hear or see anything, you find me. If something happens to either of them, I'll hold you personally responsible, especially if information you fail to pass on could save their lives."

"You know, Cain, you can't fool me. It's personal this time. You haven't had that look on your face since Adora…" He broke off at the darkened look on Cain's face.

"You're dumber than I thought, DeMilo, if you can't figure out why he asked you to drop the note. He knew you'd bring it to me. So, yes, it's personal, but it's not what you think."

Cain turned and un-tethered his horse. He mounted and set off at a canter toward the palace.

* * *

She'd walked through her day feeling hurt and betrayed. He hadn't even bothered to say goodbye. Azkedellia tried to comfort her, but all DG could do was stare in expressionless silence, her eyes set wide. Glitch tried to remind her that Cain said he would be back, but the mere fact that he'd left without saying goodbye, no matter for how long, hurt her deeply. 

That evening, he still hadn't returned. After the family mealtime, she'd locked herself in her room, collapsing on her bed and dissolving into a puddle of tears.

_Oh, good grief, get a hold on yourself, girl! You act like it's the end of the world. You're just a kid to him, remember? Get over it, or you're really going to get yourself hurt. His son is just barely younger than you, and you know that this is just a reaction to his protective nature, reading more into it than you should. __Remember, Hollywood-sized blunder?_

She couldn't keep herself from crying, though. Eventually, she simply cried herself to sleep before she'd even changed her clothes.

She woke early the next morning with an enormous headache. She stumbled into her wash room, taking one look at her puffy, red eyes in the mirror before splashing some water on her face. She drew her bath and sank into the warm water, fresh tears threatening to come to her eyes. The clock on the table that held her towels told her that she had two hours, three if she skipped breakfast, before she had to be presentable, so she stayed in the water until it was icy then filled it again with fresh hot water. Her skin was past the point of being wrinkled before she moved to get out. She dragged herself to her wardrobe, pulling a simple and comfortable frock out of the closet. _On today, of all days, I wish I was not a princess…I want to hide, not sit through lessons and policy making decisions._

When she looked in her floor-length mirror, she tried to put on her most convincing "I'm okay" smile, but it never reached her eyes. She put a hand to her forehead, concentrating very hard on not losing her composure. She mustered up all her courage and walked to the door and turned the handle, eyes on her feet.

She nearly walked into him on the way out the door, a mountain of muscle in a grey woolen duster. She looked up into his ice blue eyes, and couldn't believe that he was there. Not knowing whether to laugh, cry, scream, or faint, she settled for the only thing she could do: she balled up her fist and punched his arm as hard as she possibly could.

* * *

"Ow! What was that for?!" He rubbed his arm, which was certainly going to bruise, as he took in the hurt, frustration, and anger in her wide blue eyes. 

"'What was that for?' You leave without so much as saying goodbye, not bothering to tell me when you're coming back and you expect me to not slug you when you come back?"

Cain almost lost his temper, growling as he spoke, "I left you a message with Glitch because you were oversleeping as a result of staying out too late, and I was gone a grand total of 20 hours. Did you even let him give you the message?"

She just glared at him, her right fist still tightly balled at her side.

"Would you mind putting that thing away?" he asked, looking pointedly at the fist. "That's one hell of a right cross, Princess."

She relaxed her hand and stonily asked, "Where did you go?"

"I had some things to look after, some…people to find."

"And that means you're not going to tell me who or what."

"Exactly. Now, come on. Your mother wanted to talk to you and Azkedellia as soon as possible."

He let her lead the way downstairs to the Queen's private study on the second level of the palace, wondering exactly how hard she'd hit him in a few minutes when she found out where he'd been.


	9. Running

Chapter 9 – Running

Cain trailed DG all the way to the Queen's study, bracing himself for another right cross, thinking that this time it was likely to land on his jaw. She wouldn't be able to lay him out on the floor, but it still would hurt like hell and his gentlemanly nature would make sure that he would just stand there and take it. He opened the door for her when they got there, and found that Azkedellia and Glitch were already there, as well as Ahamo, Jeb, Benning, the head of the Royal Guard, and the new head of the Tin Men, a man named Mark O'Hannon. DG immediately went to stand beside her sister, who put an arm around the younger girl's slender shoulders. Cain scowled at the girls' shared glance and Glitch's sheepish half-grin. _If there was ever a time I wanted to hit that Zipperhead, it's now…_

"Thank you for attending, Wyatt," said the Queen quickly. "If you would please give me the note you received…"

Cain gladly turned over the piece of paper. He laid it on her desk and retreated to the back of the room, on the side opposite of where the younger princess stood, trying to distance himself from that right cross he had a suspicion was coming. All of the brass in the room, his own son included, made him feel slightly uncomfortable. He liked situations he could control with direct action and not have to wait for bureaucracy to make all of the decisions. He was somewhat of a lone operator even when he was a Tin Man before…before the Sorceress.

"Gentlemen," began the Queen, "as you are now well aware, a threat has been made against the House of Gale. This note was given to Mr. Wyatt Cain by a…credible informant. We have every reason to believe that it's genuine."

Wide-eyed, DG asked, "What note? What threat?" Her voice had pitched higher than normal. She looked across the room at Cain and he could read the shock in her gaze.

"_Surrender the Sorceress or both __'__princesses__'__ will die,_" Ahamo read from the note. His words caught in his throat.

"Has anyone followed up with the informant yet?" asked Jeb, who now wore a general's uniform.

"I trailed him all day yesterday, looking for the man who actually gave him the note, but he'd already left the city," replied the elder Cain, looking pointedly at DG, who averted his gaze.

"Who was the contact, Cain?" asked O'Hannon.

"DeMilo."

Everyone in the room except the princesses knew the conditions of DeMilo's parole, and therefore knew that, as slimy as he was, his information was accurate.

"Mr. O'Hannon, we're leaving the investigation inside the city with you," said the Queen. "General Cain, I want your best scouts and intelligence officers to take care of things outside the city. The small formal dining room will be set aside to coordinate your operations. Benning, I want you to assign a detail to escort the princesses back to Finaqua as quietly and secretly as possible. They'll be responsible for securing the grounds and perimeter there. Ambrose, Mr. Cain, you will accompany Azkedellia and DG as personal security, respectively. Raw will accompany you in case you should require his particular talents. I don't want you to let them out of your sight."

"Mother, I—"

"Don't ask questions, DG," said her father. "We have to make sure that the two of you are safe. Your mother and I are going to remain here, all the better to make them think that you've not left."

"In addition," continued Lavender, "I can't continue the work of rebuilding the city and the Realm from Finaqua, and if we do stop the work, we might as well hand both of you over to whoever made the threat. In fact, I plan to go ahead with the confirmation of Azkedellia as Heir Apparent. We will not be intimidated and bow to their threats. Given the circumstances of the last ten annuals, I'm sure this will certainly not be the last threat that the House of Gale will have to deal with. Mr. O'Hannon and General Cain will find the persons responsible for this."

Az and DG looked at each other in utter amazement. They'd often over the last three months discussed and speculated at which one their mother would choose to succeed the throne, and each had felt that the other was more qualified for the job. They didn't know that she'd already made up her mind.

"Benning, Mr. Cain," she continued, "when would you suggest would be the safest time for moving your party?"

"It will be somewhat difficult to arrange," said Benning. "The city is big and busy enough that getting them out unseen will be a challenge. I suggest that we leave sometime shortly after the evening meal. We'll need to find a means of transportation that won't give us away."

"Isn't there a prison transport heading out for the Tower tonight?" asked Glitch.

"Good idea, Glitch," said Cain. "We can load up in an extra police van and follow along until the road forks for Finaqua, and the caravan will pass right by the gates of the palace."

"I take back what I said earlier, Your Majesty," said Benning clapping a hand on Glitch's shoulder, causing the advisor's eyes to water. "He should work out after all."

DG only half listened to the rest of the plans. She was too confused and worried and overwhelmed. The explanation of Cain's whereabouts the day before made her feel horrible for hitting him earlier. She clearly owed him a huge apology. The meeting let out shortly after, and they all filed out of the room, Cain following her very closely as she made her way to her chambers to pack and bracing himself for another right cross.

* * *

Glitch remained behind after asking Benning to escort Azkedellia to her chambers. The door closed, and he approached the Queen's desk timidly. 

"Your Majesty," he began shakily, "are you certain that I'm a good choice to watch over your daughter?"

"My dear, Ambrose," she said, smiling kindly. "Of course I'm sure. You have never betrayed my trust, and we both know that you are quite capable when it comes to hand-to-hand situations."

"But, Your Majesty, with only half of my brain, there's no way—"

"Stop, Ambrose. I trust you. The guards on the perimeter will have responsibility for the most vigilance. Your job is to be there and protect her should something happen. Just stick close to Cain if it does. We both know how capable you are in times of need."

Glitch smiled weakly and left the room.

* * *

On the way back to her chambers, DG tried to apologize, but couldn't find the words. The lead that normally resided in her stomach when he was around had turned into a ton of bricks. All of her assumptions had been wrong, as usually happens when one assumes without thinking. She kept her eyes on the floor as she walked, very conscious of the weight of his gaze on her back. At her door, she turned to him. 

"Mr. Cain…I owe you an apology," she said, not daring to look in his eyes.

Relieved that her right hand remained open, he tipped her chin up, forcing her to look into his eyes. "You're forgiven. Next time, just make sure you listen to the whole message. Oh, and don't hit me."

She smiled, though her heart didn't like hearing the "next time."

"You'd better get your stuff ready to go. Servants won't be following behind us to bring it to you this time. No one must know when we leave the city."

"Alright."

"And pack light. We don't know what may lie ahead of us on the road, and the fewer trunks we have to haul, the better."

Glitch walked past them, heading for Azkedellia's door. "Hey Glitch," Cain called. The other man turned around. "Send Benning this way when you get there. I need to go have a word with Jeb before we leave." Glitch nodded his understanding.

DG went inside and found a bag already on her bed, ready for her to begin packing. _He wasn't kidding when he said "light."_ The bag was big enough for two days of clothing. She crammed in three.

* * *

After Benning arrived to take his post, Cain went down to the dining room where Jeb, O'Hannon and Benning had already begun staging their operations. Jeb saw him enter and immediately met him. The two embraced hurriedly, father and son finally seeing each other again for the first time since the tower. 

"The new uniform becomes you," said the father.

"Truthfully, it scratches like hell," admitted the son with a lop-sided grin that he'd inherited from his mother. "But I do like the job that comes with it, so I don't complain too much."

"I'm proud of you, Jeb. Your mother would be too."

Jeb only smiled at his father's words, biting back the tears that came with them.

"Listen, DeMilo said the man we're looking for goes by the name Black," Wyatt continued. "He also said that the man comes to the city wearing a hood of some sort. He's taller, and thick through the shoulders. I know that doesn't narrow things down a lot, but it's better than having nothing to go on."

"Yeah, it helps. O'Hannon's men have DeMilo under surveillance. We should know almost immediately if Black makes contact again."

"It's doubtful that he'll come back to DeMilo. That note was meant for my eyes to read first."

Jeb shot his father a questioning look.

"Whoever gave DeMilo that letter wanted him to give it to me personally. They would have known that he wouldn't just post it to the door like he was told, because they knew that I'd hunt him down to get information."

"Could this have anything to do with the look on your faces when you and the younger princess entered the study?" asked Jeb pointedly.

Sighing exasperatedly, Cain said, "It has more to do with the rumors flying over the realms than anything." He hoped that Jeb would take that line at face value. It was bad enough that DeMilo had found his tell.

"Right…" Jeb said.

"I've got to get back to my post. Take care, son. See you down the road."

"Dad, wait," said Jeb before Cain had an opportunity to leave. "The security arrangements…whose idea was it for you to take DG's detail? Yours or the Queen's?"

Cain knew he didn't have to answer his son, but after considering it for a moment said: "Mine."

Jeb shot his father a half-smile. In that moment, Jeb knew exactly what was going on in his father's life.

* * *

Later that night, after the family ate what would be their last meal together for some time, two black vans pulled into the rear entrance of the Royal Residence. Three men piled into the front of each. A few minutes later, more men piled into the backs of each of the vans, followed by two figures in long hooded capes escorted by two more men. The vans pulled out of the rear gate a few minutes later, making their way to the headquarters of the Central City police. When the prison transport caravan left just an hour later, the average passersby on the street didn't even notice there were two extra vans. 

But not everyone watching was an average passerby. On buildings near the palace and the police station, silent men waited…and watched, sending messages to their leader using small pigeon-like birds.

When he received them, he only laughed, a deep, menacing grumble that could chill the heart.


	10. Ambush

Chapter 10 – Ambush

Cain sat in the back of the crowded van, watching DG as she dozed on the bench across from him. When they'd loaded on, DG had immediately taken a seat next to Azkedellia, and both girls were now leaning on each other, wrapped in their cloaks. They'd both fallen asleep fairly quickly, the rough ride not able to override their exhaustion. It had been a long, draining day for them both.

Reflecting on the events of the past 36 hours, Cain became increasingly uncomfortable with the situation. The threat was made against the princesses, yes, but the note was actually directed at him. Someone had made a threat against someone for which he felt a burden to protect.

_There's more to your feelings than that, and you know it. You just aren't man enough to count the cost of admitting it._

And there it was, a small stir from the girl dozing across from him, a little bit of a smile. She was dreaming about something that made her happy, and that smile made his stomach turn back flips.

_Stop it, right there. She's your charge, and the last thing you should do is let yourself feel for her. That's when people get sloppy…that's when people get hurt…that's when people get killed._

The war he was waging with himself was only getting more heated. The part of him that was still the Tin Man, still in love with Adora, still following his orders to protect the princess, was fighting desperately to maintain his distance. The part of him that desperately wanted to move on, desperately seeking peace and healing, desperately desired to hold the girl who had saved his life, was fighting to tear down his defenses. It was a war no man was meant to wage, because there was no win involved. If he continued his current course, he could protect DG's life, but at the expense of hurting her himself. If he surrendered to his heart, then he would most certainly make a mistake that would compromise her safety. The costs were incredibly high. Either way, they would both lose. And he couldn't handle another failure.

So he lived in his own private hell, fighting himself at every turn. He tried to keep her from noticing it in his eyes, that internal struggle that threatened to tear him apart. He was certain that she never noticed that his hand would sometimes rise imperceptibly to place on the small of her back of its own accord, only to be forced back down again. He even tried to downplay his heavy heart as being a result of the burden to protect her. Not everyone was convinced, though. Glitch and Raw had made passing comments on many occasions, and now Jeb was aware. Even DeMilo, to whom Cain had to give credit for shrewdness, had figured it out. _It's only a matter of time._

After more than three months in close proximity to her, he had learned to read her fairly well. Now, even when she was asleep, he could tell that she was overwhelmed. She was stirring fitfully like she had in the days after they first met, when they were on the run from the Sorceress. Every so often, her nose would wrinkle and her eyes narrow in their set. Something was now disturbing her dreams. He had to consciously fight himself not to take her from Azkedellia's embrace into his own.

_STOP IT!_ He had to get a grip, or he was likely to get them all killed. _Never get emotionally involved with a charge_, he repeated in his mind, closing his eyes. _Emotional connections compromise diligence and create openings through which the assailants can reach_. The lines from the annuals-old lectures at the academy had been a constant litany for him since the Tower, and they were now even more important.

* * *

They had been riding on the rough path behind the prison transfer caravan for just over three hours when they reached the fork in the road that would lead them to Finaqua. The smaller caravan separated from the other, driving down an even rougher path. The rocking and bumps were finally enough to jar her from DG sleep, and she looked at Cain, eyes set wide. He'd been watching her in her sleep, and there was no mistaking the look that fled from his face as soon as her eyes met his. It made her heart skip a beat. But it was gone as soon as it came. 

The van was silent as they kept driving. That silence was shattered twenty minutes later as gunshots rang in the night and a hole was rent through the side of the van, thankfully missing those inside. Cain lunged for DG, pulling her roughly to the floor of the vehicle, covering her small body with his own.

"Go, NOW!" he shouted to the driver, who didn't need any more encouragement to press the accelerator to the floor.

More shots tore through the van and one of the guards cried out in pain as one of the bullets hit his right shoulder. Cain turned his head toward the back of the van, where he made sure that Glitch had Azkedellia covered. DG squirmed slightly under him, but he told her sharply not to move.

They could all feel the van picking up speed. It literally flew over some of the rougher spots on the road. The driver saw the maze approaching and yelled, "HOLD ON!" as he slammed on the brakes and turned the wheel. The van slid to a halt, spinning around to put the door close to the entrance and hopefully provide some cover. One of the uninjured guards opened the door and jumped out, motioning for others to join him to set up a barricade using the vans as cover. Cain lifted DG roughly by the shoulders, pulling her to a kneeling position.

"Are you hurt?" he asked as he checked her for obvious bleeding. When she shook her head, he looked at Raw and the guard who had been shot. "Stay here. You won't help them much in your condition. Raw, stay with him and see what you can do for the bleeding. When it's over, they'll bring you to the castle. In the meantime, stay down. I have to get them out of here. Do you understand me?"

Raw simply nodded and the guard replied his affirmative and Cain whirled, immediately making for the door, keeping his head low. Shots were being exchanged outside, and the guards were calling frantically to each other. No one could pinpoint the location of the gunmen. Cain waited as long as he dared, then motioned to Glitch.

"It's time to get them to the castle. Glitch, you go in front. I'll bring up the rear. Stop just inside the exit on the other side." He again pulled DG up roughly, almost tossing her out of the van behind Azkedellia.

Then she was running through the maze, following Az and Glitch, her breath coming in terrified and ragged gasps. She lost track of exactly where they were in the maze, trusting Glitch and Az to know their way through. She tried to look behind her, but Cain just put a hand on her back and pushed her forward. And so she ran…and ran. She was grateful when Glitch and Azkedellia pulled up just inside the exit.

Cain came from behind her to stand in front of Glitch, who moved back to the rear, facing behind them at the ready. She didn't know how Cain would know if it was safe to emerge. The darkness of the night would surely make it impossible to see any hidden assailants. Shots still rang in the night, as did shouting from the guards. They stood inside the maze for what seemed like an eternity, listening to the horrifying sounds of the shoot-out. When the shooting finally did stop, DG held her breath until one of the guards yelled out an all clear. Several moments later, three of the guards appeared behind them in the maze. They nodded at Cain, and the four of them proceeded out on to the grounds of the castle.

After a few more terrifying moments in which DG's breath caught in her throat, she heard Cain yell, "It's clear, Glitch!"

Glitch nodded at them, and they emerged from the maze. Cain came over and took DG's arm, moving her toward the castle.

* * *

DG and Azkedellia sat on a chaise in a small chamber on the first floor with Glitch on the other side of the room. Cain and a few of the guards were securing the inside of the castle, sweeping it room by room, carefully checking for intruders. Neither princess spoke. Both of them were exhausted, terrified, and cold. DG longed for a fire in the hearth of her personal chambers and the warm, comfortable comforter and sheets on her bed. Cain had told them not to light the fire in the sitting room just yet, so they had to settle for bundling themselves as tightly as they could in their cloaks, which still didn't keep out the chill. 

The sweep took until midnight to finish, and when Cain came to find DG and escort her to her chambers, she had drifted off again. He came to kneel in front of her, double-checking what was visible of her body for any injuries he might not have seen earlier.

"She's fine, Cain," said Glitch. "Her arm may be bruised from when you pulled her off the bench and onto the floor of the van, but there are no other injuries. They're both fine."

Cain turned to give Glitch an appraising look. He was really starting to understand just how much he tended to underestimated the Queen's Aide.

"You did well, today, Glitch," he said. "The Queen made a good choice."

"Thanks, Cain," he said. Cain noticed that his eyes turned toward Azkedellia.

"Whatcha thinkin', Zipperhead?" asked Cain.

"That I'm not sure what to think of this particular situation. And that I can understand what you're going through with DG. I've felt uncomfortable around Azkedellia ever since the Eclipse. I kept expecting to see the Sorceress emerge. Tonight, the terror in her eyes when the shooting started…well, let's just say I now understand your protective nature."

Cain didn't reply, but turned back to DG, reaching to place a hand on her shoulder.

"Princess," he said softly as she opened her eyes. "Come on, it's safe for you to go upstairs."

She simply nodded, too exhausted from the night to speak, and stood. He noticed that she was a little shaky, so he offered his elbow. She took it gratefully. Upstairs, she found that the fire had already been made and someone had already dressed her bed. She looked at him questioningly.

"I didn't think you'd be up to doing it yourself. Besides, you're almost asleep on your feet as it is."

She merely nodded. He led her to her bed, guiding her as she sat, and then stepped back, afraid to stay near her any longer.

"Goodnight, Princess," he said before he turned to the door.

"Goodnight, Mr. Cain." He heard her soft reply that nearly melted his heart.

Outside, he saw his familiar chair in which he'd spent so many mornings waiting for her to awaken. He knew that his own room in the castle was just down the hall, but the situation coupled with his fatigue made it impossible for him to walk any farther. With only four hours of sleep within the past two days, he didn't think anyone would fault him for sleeping in the first, _no, second_, available spot.

* * *

Elsewhere in the realm, a man in a hood received a message via pigeon. 

_They're at Finaqua. Ambush went as planned._

He smiled evilly, pleased that his plan, thus far, was working.


	11. Distance

Chapter 11- Distance

The next morning dawned a little too brightly for Cain. He was stiff from sleeping in the chair, and his body was sore from the aftermath of the ambush. _I'm getting too old for this_, he thought as he rubbed the sore muscles of his neck. _I know I slept…I just don't feel like it._

Glitch came down the hall with a steaming cup of coffee and handed it to Cain.

"Did you actually sleep out here?"

"Yeah," replied Cain with a grimace as he tried to stretch his legs. "And now I'm beginning to regret that decision."

"I guess DG's chambers aren't laid out the same as Azkedellia's. She's got a separate sitting room just before you go into her bedroom. It made it easy for me to find a place to sleep."

"Yeah, no such luck for me. I'll figure something out, even if it's a camp cot out here in the hall. Thanks for the coffee. Is Azkedellia awake yet?"

"She wasn't the last time I checked, which was right before I went down to get some coffee. One of the guards had already brewed some for the guys on first shift watch."

"How's the one who got shot?" asked Cain.

"He's fine. We managed to dig out the bullet then Raw worked his magic. He was assigned to third shift so he could have plenty of time to rest. Shift one is from dawn to midday, two from midday to dusk, three from dusk to midnight, and four from midnight to dawn."

"Do we know anything about the gunmen from last night?"

"Not really. A couple of the guards from shift two went out to see if they could find any clues, but they're not back yet. A messenger has already been sent to Central City to inform the Queen and Jeb about the situation. Captain Lasting has requested reinforcements. Sweeps of the outer grounds have already begun."

"Sounds like everything's under control, then."

"Yeah, there's a guy from shift two who's awake if you want him to take over here so you can get some sleep."

"I'll be alright. I don't want her to hit me again if she wakes up and I'm not here."

"She…hit you?!"

"Yeah, balled up her fist and left one hell of a bruise. If you ever get her riled, beware her right cross. She might even have a good right hook, too."

Glitch just chuckled. "You know, Cain, I may not be the brightest watercolor on the palette, but it would take an idiot to not see what's going on between the two of you."

"Great…first DeMilo, then Jeb, and now you. Believe me, the last thing we need right now is for you to be giving me any ideas."

"So…you aren't trying to deny it and you're not making excuses. What's the hold up, Tin Man?"

Cain drew in a deep breath. "I swore to The Mystic Man that I would protect her. As far as I can see, that was an open-ended oath, especially in light of recent events. If I let my guard down, if I let her closer than just my charge, then I put her, Az, you, and everyone else here in danger."

"Oh, come on Tin Man! You've already let yourself get too close to her, and you know it. It was all over your face last night…It was all over your face last night…It was all over—"

Cain rolled his eyes and shoved Glitch's right shoulder to stop the misfiring synapses.

"Oh, sorry," said Glitch before he continued. "Anyway, you've already fallen over the edge, and this whole chivalrous knight bit is getting old. It's also hurting her," he said as he tweaked his head toward DG's door. "No one believes the heart-of-tin excuse anymore, because you've changed. It's been subtle and slow, but ever since the Eclipse, you've been different."

"Your advice is noted," said Cain rather gruffly. Glitch looked at him, a stare that wasn't returned.

"Right…I'm going to say something that I hope I don't have to follow up on, but if you break her heart, I'll kick your ass." Cain choked on his coffee and looked up at Glitch in shock. "And you know I can do it, too!" he added with a good-natured, classic Glitch smile.

* * *

DG tossed fitfully in her sleep that night. Her nightmares were intense and vivid. When she awakened to a hand on her arm, she was drenched in a cold sweat. Cain sat on the edge of her bed, concern filling his clear blue eyes. DG propped herself up on her elbows, shaking the cobwebs from her head. 

"You ok, Princess?"

"Yeah…I'm fine. S'just a bad dream. And how many times do I have to ask you to just call me DG?"

"Always once more," he replied.

DG was suddenly aware that he was in her bedroom and she was still in her pajamas. She pulled her comforter back up to her chin and laid back heavily into her pillows, looking at him quizzically.

"I heard you calling out in your sleep," he said. "Are you going to be ok?"

"Mr. Cain, it was just a bad dream. I'm fine," she said in exasperation as she pulled her arms out from under the comforter to rub the grit from the corners of her eyes. His eyes settled on the handprint-shaped bruise high on her right arm. Noticing the shift of his glance, she said: "Don't worry about it. If a bruise is the biggest cost for me not getting shot, I'm more than willing to pay my dues."

"Well, if you're sure you're ok, I'm going to run downstairs and see if there's something to eat."

"I'll be fine," she reassured him as he stood and walked out the door. Once he was gone, she cleaned up and got dressed.

* * *

Downstairs in the large eat-in kitchen, Cain was fighting himself again as he poured a fresh cup of coffee. He was embarrassed by the irrational dread that had invaded his gut when he heard her crying out in her sleep. Coupled with the frank words of advice from Glitch, his reaction to her was more than enough ammunition to fuel the fight. The old excuses—her age, his age, the duty to protect, even what others would think about it—were losing their effectiveness. 

He tossed his fedora on the large table where the servants would normally eat and sat down, nursing his coffee. He reminded himself of the one thing that forced him to keep his distance. _You know the cost…you've counted it, and it's too high. _

But the cost of not having her with him, not seeing her smile, not being able to hold her in his arms, not being able to look into those beautiful blue eyes and see a look meant only for him, was growing to be higher. He closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. _Glitch was right_, he thought to himself. _You've already fallen…and there's no point in denying it anymore._

He looked at the simple gold band he still wore on his left hand. After more than eight annuals, it was hard to remember Adora's face when she was happy. It was hard to remember her smile, the sound of her laughing, the color of her eyes, or the comforting weight of her body in his arms. All he could remember of her was the image of her terror-stricken face that he had to watch over and over and over again inside his private prison. He tried to forget that image, to replace it with a happier one, but no memory came.

That was the first painful layer of his failures. His first priority had been his family, and his actions in the resistance had led directly to the torture of his son and the death of his wife. His second priority had been to The Mystic Man, and he hadn't been able to protect him from death at the hands of the Sorceress. He'd also failed DG once, not able to save her from being taken prisoner by the Sorceress, even though he'd been able to rescue her again. He'd be damned if he was going to allow her to come to harm again. He would give his own life to make sure that nothing like the torture his family had endured happened to DG. He would even risk a life alone, knowing that her broken heart would mend in time, in order to make sure that no harm would come to her because of him.

* * *

In Central City, movements within the Royal Residence became frantic as soon as the courier arrived. Benning reduced the guard for the Queen to a skeleton crew, dispatching the others immediately to Finaqua. O'Hannon started calling all persons of interest in for questioning. Jeb sent his best intelligence officers and scouts to Finaqua to gather evidence from the site of the shoot-out. 

In her private study, Lavender had called Benning, O'Hannon, and Jeb in for advice.

"What is the best course of action? Should we have them moved again?"

"No," said Benning. "I will heartily advise against that. Whoever is responsible for this obviously has had time to set up surveillance. They're much more organized than we originally gave them credit for. Moving the princesses again could just put them in greater danger. The best course of action is to reinforce security at Finaqua and try to draw them there."

"You're suggesting that we use my daughters as bait, Captain Benning?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, I'm afraid I am."

The Queen exchanged a worried look with her husband, who turned to Jeb and Benning.

"Gentlemen, this situation makes my wife and I understandably nervous. What assurances can you give us that they will be unharmed?"

"I'm afraid that we can offer no other assurances than to tell you that we will do everything in our powers to keep them safe. That is the best we can offer."

Lavender nodded, clasping both hands together and bracing her chin on them. "Alright, Gentlemen…I see that we have no choice but to trust you. I'm giving you charge of the two people whom I consider to be most precious over any others in the Realms. I trust you understand that confidence?"

"We do, Your Majesty," answered Benning.

* * *

"You're certain that they're moving to Finaqua," asked a deep, menacing voice. 

"Yes, I am. They're pulling in reinforcements from the Queen's guard and from the Royal Militia."

"Good…now we wait for their extra defenses to grow lax."

"Sir, some of the men are growing…anxious."

"Then urge them to patience. If we rush our plans, then we won't be able to achieve all our goals, and you know how disappointed I'll be if Cain's name isn't on the list of the dead."

"Yes, sir."

* * *


	12. Empathy

Chapter 12 – Empathy

Azkedellia sat in the formal sitting room on the ground floor of the castle that morning, warming herself in the light of the suns streaming through the large picture windows. Her back was to the room, and to Glitch, who kept a faithful guard. She almost resented his presence and the awkwardness it brought. The zipper down the middle of his head was a glaring reminder of the evil that the Sorceress had worked through her.

She didn't want to be near him. Truthfully she didn't want to be around anyone at all. The way they looked at her was sometimes infuriating. She could almost tolerate the ones who were judgmental, who didn't trust that she wouldn't turn them into a toad or a rat. It was the ones who pitied her, the ones whose eyes were sad and heavy whenever she came into view, that really got her upset. She had enough to deal with as a result of the Sorceress and she most certainly did not need their pity.

How could her mother expect her to rule? Half of the people hated her because of what they thought she had done, and the other half thought her capable of doing it again. They would have no confidence in her. Surely her mother was aware of that? What was she thinking?! Azkedellia didn't even know what kind of person she was yet, much less what kind of queen she would be. Confusion knitted her brow.

Glitch stirred behind her, causing her more exasperation. If he was going to be her bodyguard, the least he could do was do it quietly. Her nerves were shot as it was after the events of the past 18 hours.

_Stop that…you're being uncharitable. He risked his life to protect your own__ last night__. You're just irritable because…well, just because._

She sighed deeply, gaze fixed on the window.

"I know something's bothering you," he said. She didn't reply. "I'm here if you want to talk it out."

"No, I don't think I do, Glitch," she replied crossly. _How could he understand, anyway?_

He came over anyway to sit in a chair next to the chaise on which she was perched with her feet tucked underneath her. She didn't shift her gaze away from the window. And then he saw her as if for the first time. The sunlight streamed through the window and graced her long, raven hair that she'd left down this morning. Her chocolate brown eyes had a hint of her mother's lavender laced through them. In that moment he knew that he hadn't seen a more beautiful woman in his life. His breath caught in his throat.

Azkedellia noticed the change in his expression and looked at him. Her expression softened. In that instant, he hoped that his synapses wouldn't misfire for at least the next fifteen minutes.

"I know something's troubling you. What's wrong?"

She gave him an appraising look. Could she trust him to not hate her? Could she trust him to not pity her? More importantly, could she trust herself to be truthful?

"Many things, Glitch…many things," she finally answered tiredly. "I wouldn't know where to begin."

"Just pick a place."

Knowing that he wasn't likely to just go away if she ignored him, Azkedellia took a deep breath and began. "I don't want to be Queen," she said frankly. "Honestly, I don't know why mother picked me. She has to know that the people will never trust me. I know that DG is uncomfortable and untrained, but the people trust her. She's their savior. When they look at me, all they see is the Sorceress who nearly covered the O.Z. in everlasting darkness."

"That's not what I see," said Glitch softly.

"Oh, really? What do you see?" she asked sarcastically.

"A lost little girl who's only just starting to see her way home," he said earnestly.

"And there it is," she sneered, "the pity that the other half of the Ozians feels for me. I find that particular sentiment to be even more intolerable than the hatred. I can deal with people hating me. It's the ones who say call me a 'poor little girl' that I can't stand." Glitch had no answer to this. He only returned her gaze, albeit a bit more sheepishly.

"That's why I can't believe that Mother is going to confirm me as Heir Apparent. She didn't even mention it to me before. She didn't ask me if I thought I could rule."

"Maybe she's trying to allow you to choose."

"Choose?" she asked, slightly confused.

"You may not know this, but she was waiting for you to bring it up. She wanted you to be able to choose whether or not to abdicate. The timing of these threats on your family forced her hand. She wanted to hold off the confirmation for at least another annual so that you could have more time."

"She told you all of this? She told you and not me?"

"Yeah," he said simply, an apologetic look on his face. "Yeah…Yeah….Yeah…"

"Glitch!" she said sharply, causing him to turn his head suddenly, realigning his synapses.

"Oh! Sorry…where was I?"

"Never mind," she said softly as she stared off again, thinking about what he'd just said. She sat there for long moments, lost inside her thoughts. Glitch took advantage of the opportunity to admire her a little longer.

* * *

DG came down to the kitchen to find Cain lost in thought over a cold, half-filled cup of coffee. She paused in the doorway, admiring him for a few moments. His profile was softened more than she'd seen it lately, thoughtful and introspective. The set of his jaw was relaxed and she followed its line with her eyes. He had draped his woolen duster over a nearby chair and she could see the strength in his broad shoulders. She remembered the feel of his body over hers the night before. Despite her awkward position, it still had made her heart jump into her throat for more reasons than the obvious danger. _Does he know what he does to me? Does he even see me?_

"I know you're there, Princess."

Feeling like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar, DG blushed and entered the room, pouring herself a glass of juice from the carafe sitting on the counter. It almost tasted like orange juice, but was slightly sweeter and had no pulp.

"I don't think I'm ever going to get used to your sixth sense, Mr. Cain."

An uncomfortable silence settled between them. After several awkward moments, DG turned her glass in her hands, opened her mouth as if to say something, and then closed it again.

"What, Princess?" he asked, not turning to her but keeping his gaze fixed on the table.

Groaning, she said, "I'm not going to tell you again: please, just call me DG. I hate that title, especially coming from your lips."

"Are you going to make that an order?"

She paused, hurt and bewildered by the fact that even asked. "An order? Mr. Cain, I thought that we were at least friends. Since when do I have to order you to do anything? Isn't it enough for me to just ask?"

"No, Princess, it's not," he replied, still not looking her in the eye, the distance in his voice unmistakable.

"Why not?" she countered. "When I first came to the O.Z., I didn't have to order you to do anything. You would have laughed at me if I'd tried. The day of the Eclipse, before we separated at the Tower, you weren't treating me with this much cold formality. Have I changed so much since then?"

Cain grunted his discomfort at the turn of the conversation, and said, "No, you haven't changed, at least, not personally. But your station has. Your family was restored to its rule, your mother to her throne, and you to your place as a Princess of the Realm. I'm still the washed-up Tin Man who must treat his Princess with the most deference he can manage."

DG closed her eyes, unable to believe what she was hearing. "My station…wow…that's rich, Cain. That's really rich." She opened her eyes to glare at him, finding that he had turned to look at her with a peculiar expression on his face. But she wasn't deterred by his lack of understanding the euphemism and continued, "So that's all that you consider me? After everything that's happened, I'm just the princess in the tower? I don't believe you!" She shook her head, causing her raven hair to swing into her blue eyes which were now sparking with anger. "I _can't_ believe you, because, believe it or not, I know the way you look at me. I've seen the look on your face when I walk into a room or when I even just turn your way. I'm not the only one, either! Azkedellia has seen it, my mother and father have seen it, Glitch has seen it…Christ, even your own son has seen it!"

"You talked to Jeb about this?" he asked, feeling slightly betrayed.

"Yes, I talked to Jeb about this. He managed to pull me aside before we left the palace yesterday to ask me about it."

"And what did he say," Cain asked, a hard edge setting in his voice.

"You weren't a party to that conversation, and since I _am_ a Princess of the Realm, I can choose which councils I will or will not share with my bodyguard, who is below 'my station!'" She stood so quickly that she knocked her chair over and ran out of the room.

He followed her closely, afraid he would lose track of her. His relief was almost palpable when he saw that she was running back to her chambers. When she slammed the door behind her, he stood looking at it in silent and stunned silence.

* * *

Glitch and Azkedellia heard the "BOOM" of the slamming door echo through the halls of the castle. They looked at each other in amazement before they both got up and made their way to DG's room. When they found Cain standing at her door neither had to ask what had happened. Glitch positively glared at Cain. Azkedellia moved him out of the way, pushing him back to his chair in the alcove and knocked on the door. 

"DG, it's Az. Can I come in?"

"As long as you leave those below my station in the hall," they heard the younger princess call through the door.

Azkedellia whirled on Cain. "Below her station? What in the hells…never mind, I think I'm about to find out," she said as she turned and opened the door.

When it had closed behind her, Glitch took his own turn: "Really smooth, Tin Man. Let me guess…you offered DG some lame excuse as to why you've held her at arm's distance with a twelve-foot pole?"

"Yeah…that just about sums it up."

Glitch blew out a breath. "And they call me an idiot."

"Glitch…just, please, do me a favor and shut up," asked Cain tiredly as he ran his hand through his hair.

* * *

Inside the room, DG was pacing furiously, wiping frantically at the tears running down her cheeks. Azkedellia sat on the edge of DG's bed, scowling after hearing DG's summary of the conversation downstairs.

"He said _what_?!"

"Yeah, I couldn't believe my ears, either. I was sitting there, getting ready to tell him how I felt, and he insulted me by saying…_that!_"

"I guess he's forgetting the fact that Mother married 'below her station.'"

"Am I not exactly the same as I was three months ago? Granted, I've had a few lessons in history and diplomacy, but I still feel like the same person. If either one of us has changed, it's him! Below my station my ass! Does he really think I'm that pretentious? I slept on the ground _on his duster_ for a week, for crying out loud!"

"DG, I'm sure that's not what he meant."

"Then what the hell _did_ he mean?"

"Why don't you ask him?"

DG stopped mid-step and looked at her sister, confusion filling her wide eyes. "That would require actually going out there and speaking to him and that is something that I just don't think I can do for a good, long while," she said as she walked to the bed and sat beside her sister.

Azkedellia put her arm around DG's shoulders and said, "DG, Wyatt Cain isn't just an ordinary man. He's old-fashioned, and he's as tenacious as a Papay runner when it comes to protecting you. Everyone around him knows how he feels about you, including him. He's fighting with himself over you…and eventually the part that's driving you away is going to lose."

"How can you be sure?" DG asked with slight pout. "And what do I do in the meantime?"

"I know because he's steadily losing ground and letting you get farther and farther under his guard. You have a way with people…just like you brought that tree back to bloom in the Fields of the Papay; you have a way of bringing life into the middle of lifelessness. The difference between Cain and the tree is that humans don't heal as quickly, especially in matters of the heart. Give him time. In the meantime, just be patient with him."

DG nodded wordlessly as Azkedellia drew her into a tight hug.

"Come on," said Az when they pulled apart. "Come downstairs with me and sit in front of the picture window. They built it so that light from at least one of the suns is shining through it all day long."

"No, thanks, I think I want to stay as far away from Cain as possible right now…and the only way that's going to happen is if that door is between us," answered DG as she nodded to the door of her chamber. Azkedellia smiled at her.

"So," DG continued with a knowing smile, "how's it going with you and Glitch?" Azkedellia grabbed a pillow and pummeled her sister with it.

* * *


	13. Time

Chapter 13 – Time

Two agonizing weeks passed at Finaqua. An uncomfortable distance settled between DG and Cain. He followed her like a shadow, as was his job, but all the while he was bracing himself for any number of her reactions, ranging from shouting at him to another right cross. However, she treated him with an indifferent and stony silence, as he could only guess he deserved after their encounter in the kitchen. In the mornings he would sit in the chair in front of her door wondering exactly how that particular conversation had gone so utterly wrong. At night, he would lay awake in the room next to hers, which was barely more than a closet big enough to hold a camp cot and still manage an alarm clock on the floor, trying to figure out how to get himself back into her good graces and wondering how in the hell she managed to get herself so far into his heart. What had started as an endearment such as one would feel for a child had developed into something much more intense and intimate, and he didn't know how it had happened. He'd stopped denying it to himself the day that Jeb had figured it out.

Each passing day made him even more uncomfortable with the situation, but for different reasons. There had been no further contact from the terrorists who had opened fire on the caravan. The investigation was still on-going, and nothing conclusive had been found. There had been many leads, most bad, and a few low-level conspirators were found. They weren't talking, though. A thorough investigation of the scene of the shootout revealed almost nothing about the identities of the perpetrators. There were three of them taking cover in the forest that night, only one of whom was injured but not badly enough to prevent him from walking away. They'd even left the guns, which were standard-issue guns that the Longcoats had carried under the reign of the Sorceress. It was a perplexing puzzle, and after two weeks without contact, Cain could almost feel the trap closing in around them. The reinforcements sent from Central City were making daily sweeps of the grounds and the forest in the immediate vicinity, but that didn't set his mind at ease. If anything, he was even more uncomfortable than the Queen at the thought of using the princesses, particularly DG, as bait.

For DG, the constant proximity to Cain made her feel stifled and extremely moody. The fact that she couldn't really go outside didn't help matters much, either. She spent a lot of her time in either her chambers or Azkedellia's trying to escape from him. Their girl talk was animated, especially in light of Cain's behavior, though DG saved her more colorful allusions for when they were in Azkedellia's chambers with an entire room between herself and Cain. At the end of the second week, DG started to understand exactly how the lionesses in the zoos on the Other Side must have felt. The feeling of being trapped, powerless, was horrible. She was beginning to long for the first days after she came to the O.Z. when she was out adventuring, still scared for her life but at least doing something about it. Being tucked away in a palace with nothing to do but read and look out windows at unchanging landscapes didn't make for much excitement.

* * *

Early on the first morning of the third week, Jeb arrived with fresh troops. He found his father sitting in the chair across from DG's door.

"How's the waiting game?" he asked lightly.

Cain stood and turned, slightly embarrassed that he'd been too lost in thought to have missed Jeb's approach.

"Honestly, it could be better…" he said as he gave his son a warm hug.

"So I hear…but I think I'd rather hear the whole story from you."

"Story?" asked Cain, slightly lost.

"Yes, story," said Jeb with a broadening smile. "Glitch tells me that you've really managed to upset her this time," he said as he tweaked his head toward the princess' door.

Cain grunted his displeasure. "Believe me…you really don't want to know how your old man blundered this time. I don't think I even understand it."

"Yeah, but that blush isn't getting old," said Jeb humorously.

So Cain recounted the conversation that he'd had with DG in the kitchen that morning two weeks previous, watching his son's mouth open in increasing shock.

"And you honestly don't understand how you pissed her off?"

"Honestly," said Cain getting a little angry himself, "I don't have a clue."

"You called her pretentious! You basically told her that you didn't care about how she felt because you expected her to reject you because you're not nobility. At least, that's what anyone could have read into those words. Honestly, Dad, for someone who was married for 14 years, you don't know a thing about women."

"And since when do you know so much about them?" asked Cain, feeling more than a bit uncomfortable at the fact that his son was giving him this speech.

"No offence, Dad, but I've had a lot more girlfriends that you. You and mom married young. I'm already two years older than you when you did," said Jeb frankly. Cain just looked at him in silent bewilderment. "Yes, I'm that old," said Jeb after a few seconds.

"I can't believe my own son is trying to give me advice about women…talk about putting the cart before the horse."

Jeb chuckled a moment, then looked his dad square in the eyes. "It's time you're honest with her _and_ yourself, Dad. If you don't have any intentions, you need to let her know. You owe her that honesty, almost as much as you owe her an apology."

Cain looked away, setting his jaw and turning his fedora in his hands.

"Listen, Dad," Jeb began, more hesitantly than before. "I know you don't need my permission, but you do need to move on. Mom wouldn't have wanted you to stay alone for the rest of your life if you'd found someone. DG's good for you. I know I've not been around a lot to see it, but I have on occasion caught the smile on your face for her. And if age is the hang-up, get over it."

"You do realize she's not even an annual older than you are, right?"

"Is it a problem for her?"

"No," said the father frankly.

"Then her opinion is the only one that matters. Though…why a gorgeous girl like her would want an old man like you is beyond me," replied Jeb with a kidding smile on his face.

* * *

DG emerged from her room that morning to see Jeb standing beside his father with a conspiratorial smile on his face. Cain looked slightly uncomfortable, like he was being forced to wear a formal tuxedo, and there was a slightly pink blush to his cheeks. It was almost enough for her to forget that she was mad at him long enough to laugh at him…almost.

"General Cain," she said brightly, purposely being formal in front of his father. _If he thinks that I'm above his station, then that's what I'll give him._ "It's good to see you again. Do you bring good news or no news? I'd rather not have the bad."

"We do have three men in custody who are considered to be links to the terrorists, but they're being less than cooperative," replied the younger Cain, who was slightly surprised at her formality, but decided to play along. "I've also brought in some fresh reinforcements to maintain security on the grounds."

"One would think with all those men out there, I'd at least be able to walk outside long enough to stretch my legs," she said sweetly, giving a pointed look to Wyatt, who only grimaced uncomfortably, giving his customary half-growl half-groan, and looked the other way.

"Indeed one would," said Jeb with a laugh. "In fact, I'd be delighted if you'd allow me to escort you."

"I'm not sure if my personal security will allow it," she replied with yet another pointed look at Jeb's father.

"It wouldn't be a good idea, no," said the elder Cain simply.

"Come now, Mr. Cain," she said sweetly. "You yourself heard that he has brought more men this morning. I'm sure there's no reason why the General and I can't share a word in the gazebo by the lake."

Growling, knowing exactly what that "word" would be about, and knowing that she would insist that he stay far enough away so that he couldn't hear, Cain nodded his consent, gesturing that they walk in front of him. Jeb offered his elbow to DG with a knowing smile, who returned the smile as she took it. _No man deserves this, no matter what he does!_

* * *

Glitch and Azkedellia were again in the formal sitting room that morning, where Az preferred to spend her time in front of the window in the light of the suns. They were chatting more pleasantly than they had previously. She was learning to enjoy his company and to appreciate his depth and intelligence, despite the fact that his brain was still at the Tower. They were good-naturedly debating the social nuances of ancient Ozian mythology when they were treated to a most peculiar sight passing in front of the window. General Jeb Cain was walking toward the gazebo, DG on his elbow, with his father trailing him looking as if he'd bitten into a lemon. They stared at the trio for a moment, bewildered, then looked at each other and laughed out right, both wishing they were a party of that discussion. 

"Well," said Azkedellia, pausing for breath mid-giggle, "it certainly seems that our dear DG has managed to find a sympathetic ear for her cries to be allowed outside. I don't know what's funnier, that Cain looks like he's jealous of his own son, or that little smirk on her face because she's forcing his displeasure into the open."

"Oh…I wish we had one of my holograph devices. That sight would never get old!" said Glitch as he laughed a few moments more.

"Oh to be a fly on that wall," said Az. "Although, I was hoping that I might win the pot."

"What was your bet?"

"Nine months, and I put in fifteen silvers. What was yours?" she asked, knowing that DG would threaten to ally herself with the Witch and kill them all if she knew about the family bet.

"I waged twenty on four months, one week, five days, twelve hours, and seventeen minutes since the exact moment of the eclipse," he said, grinning from ear to ear.

Azkedellia did the math, placing that time just about two weeks away. "That's early in the morning…before she even wakes up! Why then?"

"Because I think that's when he'll finally get tired of waiting for her to get out of bed."

Azkedellia laughed out right at that statement, a sound that warmed Glitch's heart and nearly took his breath away.

* * *

The doors behind him swung open unannounced and unwelcome. He growled his displeasure without turning to face the intruder who had interrupted his reverie. "What is it?" he said gruffly. 

"More reinforcements have arrived at Finaqua, sir!"

"What of it?" he asked as he turned. "We expected that they would shore up their defenses initially, only to allow them to slacken when no more word came to their ears. We even allowed them to take Grizzly, Brute, and Harper so that they would feel like they're making progress with their 'investigation.'"

"It doesn't worry you that when we move they will out-number us nearly three-to-one?"

"No. By the time we move, the former Longcoats in the Realm of the Unwanted will be capturing their attention. They'll be force to move some of those men to the frontlines."

The lieutenant only nodded his understanding. The man turned back to the window through which he had been looking, chuckling deeply to himself.

* * *


	14. Surprises

Chapter 14 – Surprises

Jeb left the same day that he came, returning to Central City to continue working the investigation. He was determined to get the three men already in custody to talk, so he hurried back to see to it. DG had enjoyed her visit with him in the gazebo, mostly because it got her a little further from the watchful eyes of his father. They'd compared notes amicably. She had asked him again if he would mind seeing her with his father, and his answer had been simple.

"DG, he spent eight years in his own private hell. He was one of dozens of men who were profiled for being locked in an Iron Maiden. All of them were in the resistance with young families, just like my father. Most of them were Tin Men. He's the only one that I know of that made it out of one of those things alive, much less sane. If anyone in the Zone deserves to be happy, it's him."

"The age thing doesn't freak you out?" she asked. "I mean, it doesn't make you uncomfortable?" she added when he shot her a questioning look. _I hate it when they don't get the euphemisms!_

"Honestly…it did at first. But it doesn't so much anymore. You and I are alike in that we're wiser than our annuals. I'm a General in Her Majesty's Militia at the ripe old age of 20. I have command over some men who are twice my age. I'm learning more and more, every day, that age is more relative than it is objective."

DG smiled at him and placed a hand on his elbow. "Thanks, Jeb."

* * *

DG's behavior toward Cain softened noticeably over the next few days. She started sitting with her sister in the sitting room, somewhat to Glitch's dismay. Cain watched her closely, relieved to see her smile in the warm rays of the sun. He still felt the trap closing around him, though. So, when she asked later that week to take another walk outside, he nearly said "no." 

"Come on, Mr. Cain, nothing happened when Jeb was here. I'm not asking to go any farther than that, just in a different direction. We could even ask the men on guard around the castle to come if you think we need extra hands. I just want to take a walk."

Cain looked to Glitch for support, but the advisor-turned-bodyguard didn't offer any.

"Honestly, Az has been looking rather longingly out that window for the past few days," said Glitch. "It's been nearly three weeks of not stepping foot outside except to bring the guards their coffee. I don't think we should go far, but it might do us all some good to get some fresh air. And," he added in a hushed tone, "it might make them both a little more agreeable and less irritable. And by 'them,' I mean DG."

Cain only grunted his understanding. DG, who had heard Glitch's comments, gave Glitch a mild glare. Glitch looked at Cain, his brown eyes asking, "See what I mean?" Cain rolled his eyes, looking at DG.

"Thirty minutes, period."

DG's eyes lit up immediately as she hurried upstairs to grab a pair of slippers. It took her a few moments to fish one from under the bed, and she made it downstairs again to find them waiting for her.

"What?" she said as she looked at them. "One of my shoes was under the bed, and it's hard to fish things you can't see out from under a bed that big." Az giggled, Glitch snickered, and Cain let out a slightly exasperated breath. She smiled at them all and took Cain's offered elbow as he led them outside.

Outside, Cain motioned to two of the guards, who would accompany them. DG did her best to ignore them, trying to keep her focus on enjoying the air around the waters. They found a path that led into the forest and DG excitedly pointed to it. Cain was about to tell her "no" again but she shot him a determined look. He knew she would go with or without his permission. He had no choice but to go with her. They weren't very far in when they found an apple tree. DG turned in her wide-eyed surprise to Azkedellia, who immediately recognized it as the one that the younger sister had tricked into throwing apples at them when they were children. They were just beginning to search for ripe apples on the ground when Cain heard a branch snap nearby.

* * *

It happened so quickly that DG didn't actually know that it happened at all. It seemed that the men came from all around. She didn't have time to count them before she registered that something felt horribly wrong. Faintly, she heard gun shots. She knew that they were close by and could vaguely recognize that they came from Cain's gun. Her vision blurred, and she felt like she was moving through a tunnel. Sounds and sights were moving farther away and darkness was clouding her peripheral vision. Cain called her name, something in his voice desperate, almost frantic. She turned to him, light-headed and confused, as she looked down to see the knife embedded in her abdomen and then crumpled to the ground. As she slipped into darkness, she heard more people calling her name, crying.

* * *

Azkedellia hadn't moved far from Glitch, so when the ambush started, he was easily able to push her to the ground, hopefully out of harm's way. Instincts still residing in his half-brain took over, counting the five men quickly as two of them moved toward Az. He didn't even have to think about the motions as he blocked their punches, striking at them with a roundhouse kick that he delivered with precision and economy, knocking them both back. They came again, this time he caught one's arm, flipping him easily to the ground as his foot savagely connected with the other's midsection, all the while keeping a firm hold on the first man's arm. He quickly delivered an elbow to the back of the first man's head, effectively rendering him unconscious. He barely registered the sound of Cain firing his six-shooter as he kicked the other man across the face before he had time to get off the ground. As he quickly confirmed that both men were unconscious, he heard Cain scream DG's name in a tone that chilled Glitch's blood. He looked up in time to see her fall to the ground.

* * *

Azkedellia didn't fully register what was happening, even after she found herself on the ground. She froze completely, terrified at the sounds around her. She started when she heard three quick gunshots, jumping at the harsh sound of each one. She felt rather than heard the heavy thud of a body hitting the ground near her, not daring to move enough to see. Her heart filled with dread as she heard Cain scream her sister's name.

* * *

Cain's world ground to a screeching halt during the brief moments of the attack. He saw the knife fly from the hand of one of the assailants, only a fraction of a second before he drew his gun, quickly aiming for his head, and pulled the trigger. He turned with an economy of motion that he was surprised he still had and fired off two more shots. The first hit the man who had been charging straight for him. The second found its mark in the man who was moving to kneel over Azkedellia, gun in hand. Years of what he once thought was forgotten training were aided by the adrenaline of the moment to improve his aim, and both men hit the forest floor with fatal wounds. He never forgot the knife as he whirled to find DG, sickened at the sight of the sight of it protruding from her upper abdomen, just below her heart. He screamed her name, choking on his own breath as it caught in his throat.

* * *

He was at her side only a second after she hit the ground. He cupped her face in his hands as her eyes slipped closed. "No, DG, wake up! Come on, Kid!" But her eyes never opened. His mind didn't register Glitch telling the two extra guards to go back to the castle for help. He didn't even think about berating both of the men who had failed so utterly in their job that they hadn't even managed to shoot once between the both of them. All he cared about was the young woman on the ground in front of him and the pool of blood that was steadily growing to saturate the earth around her.

Moving quickly despite hands that shook, he removed his duster, vest, and shirt, wrapping the shirt around the knife to try and slow the bleeding.

"Shouldn't you take the knife out first?" asked Glitch, wringing his hands in worry.

"No…leaving it will help control the bleeding until we can get her back to the castle where we can try to suture it," he replied through clinched teeth. He risked moving one hand to motion to the elder princess. "Azkedellia, I need you to hold this here." As she moved to hold the shirt with shaking hands, Cain turned to Glitch and said, "We need a stretcher."

They moved quickly to find sturdy branches long enough to tie Cain's duster and Glitch's overcoat on. While they were finishing the makeshift stretcher, four guards arrived with the two that had originally accompanied the party. Three of them trained their rifles on the men Glitch had dealt with, who were beginning to come round from their beating. The other guard, who had served as a field medic in the resistance, knelt beside Azkedellia, placing his hands over hers, telling her she could let go.

As she did, her stomach lurched at the sight of the blood on her hands. She turned away, retching on the grass. She closed her eyes, trying to catch her breath. Scant moments later, she felt hands on her shoulders pulling her up and found her head on Glitch's shoulder.

"How's her breathing?" Cain asked of the medic.

"Very shallow, and her pulse is weakening. We've got to move her now if she's going to have a chance."

Cain whirled to the original two guards, suddenly remembering their incompetence. "Since you two need a chance to redeem yourselves, you can help them," he nodded to the three men with their guns trained on the two remaining attackers, "escort the perpetrators to a secure location inside the castle. Don't take your eyes off of them for one second. If you bungle this, I'll make sure that you're court-martialed so fast it'll take your breath away."

He turned back to where DG was lying on the ground, motioning for Glitch to help him move her to the impromptu stretcher that they had laid next to her. The medic counted to three, and they lifted her as gently as possible to lay her on it. Cain turned and kneeled at the foot of the stretcher, taking both poles into his calloused hands, not letting his mind focus on the amount of DG's blood that stained the ground. _Don't think, just do it…you've got to get her out of here_, he thought as tears threatened to choke him. Another count of three, and Glitch and Cain lifted the stretcher as the medic kept his hands around the knife. Glitch called for one of the guards to escort Azkedellia, and the party moved back to the castle as quickly as they dared.

* * *

His displeasure and disbelief were evident in his growl of disapproval. "Your men did _what_, exactly?"

"They set ambush to the princesses and their escort this morning in the forest. The only one injured was the younger girl, and the wound was almost certainly mortal," said the lieutenant carefully, hoping that the other man would be pleased that even one of the princesses was likely to have met her demise.

"And the men who carried out this _ambush_?" he asked menacingly

"Three of them are dead. The other two were taken captive."

"Let us hope that the two will never escape. If they find their way here, their deaths will not be pleasant."

The lieutenant swallowed his nervousness, knowing the man before whom he stood could kill him at any time he wished just for bearing him the news.

* * *


	15. Vigil

Chapter 15 – Vigil

When they managed to get DG inside the castle, she was still alive, but only barely. They took her to the kitchen, the only place that had a work surface big enough to hold her that could be sterilized. Azkedellia had run ahead with the guard to make sure that the kitchen table was cleared and cleaned. She had only just finished when they arrived, gingerly turning the corner into the room.

As they laid her down, Cain called across to Glitch, "Get Az out of here and go find Raw."

"Raw won't be able to heal her, Cain," said Glitch with an air of desperate certainty. "That wound is bound to be through several vital organs. It's too complex-"

"Just get him anyway; he can help stop the bleeding," interrupted Cain. Glitch nodded his understanding and escorted Az to the sitting room, a guard following behind them. He made sure that she was going to be ok, before tracking down Raw, who happened to be already on his way to the kitchen. _How did he…? Oh…empathic!_ He nodded to himself as he abruptly turned and followed Raw back the opposite direction.

In the kitchen, Raw confirmed Glitch's suspicions about the nature of the wound. "Raw cannot heal. Wound too deep, too much damage."

"Can you at least help us stabilize her?" asked Cain frantically as the medic moved between him and the table to monitor her pulse more closely.

"Sir," said the medic in an even voice that came from years of field experience, "we've got to do something about that knife, now! We're losing her."

Cain looked imploringly at Raw, who nodded at him with his sad eyes. The Viewer removed Cain's blood-soaked shirt from around the wound and placed his hands loosely around the knife. The medic moved behind Cain to get a chair. The Tin Man placed a hand on DG's now-cold forehead, unable to breathe because of the pain in his heart, moving out of the medic's way. The medic stood on the chair so he could pull the knife out straight and hopefully not damage anymore of the soft tissue surrounding it. He moved as slowly as he dared, not breathing. Cain couldn't keep his tears from falling as the steady-handed medic removed the four-inch, crimson-stained length of polished steel.

Every man in the room was holding his breath as they watched Raw, who still had his hands over the wound, brow furrowed in concentration. At first, the blood flow increased slightly as the wound was vacated. However, a very few moments later, they noticed that the bleeding was slowing considerably. When Raw opened his eyes, there was only a small amount of seepage. Cain didn't move to look, but he knew that it was a mortally deep wound. The medic tore the fabric of DG's frock to get better access to the wound, and then grabbed the medical supply kit they'd brought with them from Central City, digging around for suture materials. He chose finer gauges of dissolvable threads for the internal stitching, moving quickly to join the damaged tissues together. When he'd finished closing the layers of the wound, he moved to check her pulse again, holding her wrist for at least two minutes to monitor changes in her heartbeat.

"She's stable," he said. Everyone let out a breath. "But she's still not out of danger. She lost a considerable amount of blood. Thankfully, the knife didn't damage anything vital. Two small arteries were severed, but other than that, there's just a lot of soft tissue damage."

"Can we move her to her chambers?" asked Cain, never taking his eyes off her unnaturally pale face.

"We can only move her if we do it very, very carefully, and only if someone who's not already fatigued does it."

Cain looked at Glitch, who didn't need the other half of his brain to know that he needed to go fetch two men to carry the princess upstairs. The advisor nodded and rushed out of the room. While he was gone, the medic cleaned some of the blood from DG's skin.

"Sir," he said to Cain, "you might want to wash your hands before you go with her upstairs."

Cain looked at his hands, noticing the bright blood on them for the first time. He moved to the sink to wash while the medic cleaned up the blood he'd transferred to the princess' forehead.

"What's your name?" asked Cain wearily.

The medic looked up, slightly confused. "Joseph, sir," he answered.

"Joseph, you are no longer assigned to guard duty. From now until we can get a healer from Central City, your only duty is to stay close by in case her condition gets worse. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," said the medic. "And sir, you really don't even have to send for a healer, maybe just some supplies." Cain looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "I was training to be a healer before Azkedellia took power 10 years ago. I was only one test away from graduating from the Academy when she closed it down. I joined the resistance as a medic, even though I could have been a surgeon."

Cain just looked at him and nodded, too weary and numb to speak. Glitch came in with the two extra men and a clean sheet. Cain nodded at his foresight. The five men lifted her body off the blood-soaked make-shift stretcher that they had just laid on the table earlier, not daring to move her from it until they secured the knife. The Tin Man folded the sheet until it was just large enough for her small frame and sturdy enough for the two men to use it to carry her carefully up the stairs. Thankfully, the steps to her third-floor chambers were wide and shallow, making it easier for them to climb quickly and carefully.

Azkedellia and her guard met them at her door, the elder princess holding it open for them. They laid DG down on her bed, the sheets of which Az had already pulled back. Cain and Glitch noticed that the girl had washed her hands of her sister's blood and pulled her hair back and out of her face. She didn't allow them to remove the extra sheet from under her and quickly shooed them out of the room.

"Mr. Cain," she said to his determination to stay inside, "unless _you_ want to change her out of that blood-stained dress, you will stand outside in the hall." His ears turned pink as he let her push him through the door.

The door opened again twenty minutes later and he rushed inside to find her tucked under the sheets and comforter. Her sister had managed, somehow, to get DG into a clean night gown. Azkedellia had also taken the time to brush the leaves and twigs out of her hair, gathering it over one of her shoulders. The sheet that they'd carried DG on was piled on the floor, small spots of blood evidence of where it had touched her body.

Someone, Cain didn't see who, carried in his chair from the hall and set it beside the bed. He sank into it, burying his head in his hands, too exhausted and overwhelmed to go on.

* * *

Glitch motioned for all of them, including Azkedellia, to leave the room. In the hall, everyone, including Glitch, was surprised when he started giving orders. He told the ranking guard to dispatch a messenger back to Central City. The Queen had to be informed her daughter's condition, and Jeb needed to come and investigate the scene and interrogate the two prisoners. He ordered the others to find the men for the next shift and tell them to head out early to double the guard and look for more unauthorized personnel. Joseph volunteered to clean up the kitchen; the sight of blood didn't bother him as much. Glitch nodded, and then turned to Azkedellia.

"Are you alright?" he asked timidly.

She nodded, swallowing hard. "I'm fine…I just…I don't—"

He drew her into his arms, holding her tight as she began to cry. She'd been running on adrenaline, and now she was crashing hard. He guided her to her chambers as she cried, settling both of them down on a chaise, daring to lightly kiss the top of her head.

* * *

Cain spent two endless days at DG's bedside, refusing to leave even after the Queen arrived late the night of the ambush. He'd tried to apologize to Lavender for allowing her daughter to be harmed, but she wouldn't have it.

"Mr. Cain," she'd said firmly, "had it not been for your actions after the fact, I understand that my daughter would have surely died. That is your ultimate purpose here: to safeguard her life. In that, you have succeeded admirably." She favored him with a smile as she settled in a chair that Ahamo had brought in.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," he'd mumbled. The redness of his eyes and the shakiness of his voice were unmistakable.

"Mr. Cain," she'd continued after a few moments, "will you allow me to be frank?" He nodded, unable to speak, turning his eyes to look into hers. "You have been very good to my daughter. I am greatly indebted to you simply for the assistance you offered DG before the eclipse, let alone your efforts to keep both of my daughters safe since then. I would offer you any reward in the Realms that you want, but I think I already know what you would choose, if you ever make up your mind to take it. Therefore, I tell you in advance: you don't need my permission, but I give you my blessing."

Cain swallowed hard, blinking back the sudden tears that sprang to his eyes as he remembered the discussion. It was now late at night, _no…very early in the morning_, on the second day after the incident and DG still had not stirred. He'd not slept and had only eaten because the Queen herself had brought him food on a tea tray at meal times. Now, he replayed those words in his mind, realizing their weight, and realizing that he couldn't deny himself much longer.

He bent forward, taking one of her small hands in both of his. He examined her face closely, noticing that her color looked better than it had since the attack. Joseph had been in every four hours to check on her, reporting each time that her pulse was stronger, which meant that her body was recovering the blood that she'd lost in the forest. It was only a matter of time, he'd said during the last check, before she awakened. Feeling satisfied, Cain kissed her hand, the first time he'd allowed his lips to brush her skin, and put his head down on the mattress, supported by his arm, and let himself rest for a few hours.

* * *


	16. Vow

Chapter 16 – Vow

As Cain slept with his head resting on DG's bed, he dreamed. At first, the dream was a fog of images and colors, like the swirl of a disrupted holographic projection. Soon, however, the dream cleared, and he saw a woman sitting at a window. She was dressed in white, with her hair drawn up off her shoulders, little wisps of which had fallen from the simple style. He drew closer to her, looking out the window. He saw himself, walking hand-in-hand with DG, smiling. He watched himself kiss the princess, drawing her close. There was also a child with long raven hair and crystal blue eyes walking beside them, twirling happily, barefoot on the grass. In his dream, Cain drew in a startled breath, moving away from the window. As he did, the woman watching turned toward him. It was Adora, and the smile on her face was one of pure joy. There was no sadness in her eyes, no remorse, no longing; there was just a pure, deep joy that he knew was for him. The dream suddenly started to fade, drawing itself back into the cloudiness from which it had emerged.

* * *

He felt delicate fingers lightly brushing his forehead as he began to awaken. He tried to pursue the image of Adora through the foggy river of his dreams, but found himself being drawn to the surface of wakefulness by that light touch. He groaned quietly when he did fully awaken, immediately noticing the cramp in his neck. Drawing back from the bed and massaging his neck, Cain noticed that DG was awake. His smile was wider than she'd ever seen it.

"Good morning, Princess," he said, the word a term of endearment holding none of its previous coldness or formality. He rose from his chair, transferring himself to perch on the edge of her bed. "You gave us quite the scare. How are you feeling?"

"Honestly," she said, her voice wavering slightly, her words slurring, "a little fuzzy around the edges." She winced as she tried to sit up, only to have him push her shoulders back into the bed.

"Don't try to move. You were hurt pretty badly. We kinda thought there for a while that you were going to leave us."

Her eyes widened further than he'd thought possible as she remembered, then they squeezed tightly shut as she felt the pain. Big tears escaped the corners of them and he cradled her head in his hands, using his thumbs to wipe them away. "Do you need someone to go get the medic?"

"That might be a good idea," she replied, her throat constricting her voice. He moved quickly to the door, telling one of the two guards who stood just outside to go get Joseph, then was back at her bedside catching both of her hands in his own. He was pleasantly surprised by the strength of her grip as she squeezed his hands.

Joseph entered a few moments later, and Cain had to move away from the bed so that the medic could check her condition. He quickly confirmed that her pulse was just on the high side of normal, probably from the pain. The medic pulled back the bed covers to examine the dressing through an unbuttoned portion of her gown. He replaced the bandaging over the stitches then gave her something to drink.

"What _is_ that?" she asked through a grimace as she tipped all of the black liquid down in one swallow. "It tastes horrible!"

"A mild dose of laudanum," he replied. When she cast him a questioning glance, he added: "It's an opiate to help with the pain, and it's the most effective analgesic I have. It will also make you feel drowsy and light-headed, so don't move from that bed."

"We have opiates in the Outer Zone?" she asked incredulously.

"Well, we do have poppies," he said simply. She nodded her understanding.

Joseph turned to Cain. "She's going to be fine, and the wound is mending nicely. The Viewer must have given her some kind of boost because it's actually healing a little faster than it should."

"How much longer before I can get out of bed" she asked innocently.

"At least another two days," said Joseph with a knowing grin, "unless you want to pull the internal stitches, which I don't recommend." She gave him a good-tempered glare of annoyance.

"Thank you, Joseph," said Cain. "If her family is up yet, I'm sure they'd like to know that she's awake."

"Yes, sir," said the medic as he turned on his heel and left the room.

Cain sat back down on the edge of DG's bed. A lump gathered in her throat as she remembered the pain of his coldness and formality since the eclipse. It increased when she saw the look in his eyes. It was a mixture of relief, concern, and something else she didn't dare to name. _You're imagining it, that's all. Don't let yourself think __that __it's love, because you're only going to end up heartbroken._ She held his gaze only briefly, turning away to blink back the forming tears from the corners of her eyes.

"DG," he said softly, the tone causing her to look back despite herself. "I'm so sorry, for everything." Five words, that's all it took—five words coupled with the look in his eyes. It wasn't a declaration of love, at least not strictly speaking, but it would suffice…for now.

* * *

Ahamo opened the door quietly and found Cain sitting on the edge of his daughter's bed. At first, he began to worry that something horrible had happened. That was before he noticed that neither of them spoke with words. He could read the silent words spoken with their eyes, and decided to give them a courtesy clearing-of-the-throat before allowing his wife, who was coming down the hall behind him, to interrupt their moment. Smiling to himself as he noticed Cain's ears turning pink and DG's cheeks blushing, Ahamo couldn't ward off the thought of how beautiful she would be in a wedding gown. _Don't get ahead of yourself, man…_

Barely ten minutes later, the entire family, with the addition of Glitch, Cain, and Raw, had gathered in the younger princess' room. DG grabbed Cain's wrist before he could move back to his chair, smiling at him. He didn't need any more encouragement to stay perched on the bed. She only heard a few moments of their discussion before the side effects of the laudanum began to kick in. She tried to stay awake, but ultimately failed. Azkedellia was the first to notice that her sister had fallen asleep, quickly becoming concerned.

"Don't worry," said Cain at her startled expression.

"I gave her some laudanum to help with the pain," added Joseph from near the door, "and now I must insist that we let her rest."

* * *

The Queen decided that, since her younger daughter was now out of danger, it was time to call conference in the sitting room downstairs. Cain almost refused the invitation, but Azkedellia insisted on sitting with DG while she slept. "I don't think she'd appreciate it if she woke up and there was no one here, and I don't think I'll be any help with whatever plans you have to discuss." Lavender looked at her sharply, but soon only nodded and left the room.

Downstairs, Jeb was already waiting for them. He rose and greeted his father first, then saluted the Queen.

"What have we learned from the two prisoners?" she asked him, quickly getting to the point as she settled on a settee.

"Not much," answered Jeb. "We think we're getting close to loosening their tongues, especially the one who calls himself Twist."

"Your Majesty," the elder Cain interjected, "I'd like a shot at them." Everyone turned to him, none of them missing the fury in his icy eyes. Jeb's blood ran cold at the steel in his father's voice. He didn't want to oppose him, but he was afraid of what the man might do.

"I'm sure that we'll have names and locations by the end of the day, Majesty," he said after only a moment's pause. He didn't look at his father as he said it, but he felt his cutting gaze.

"Mr. Cain, I'm sure that your son's men will have the information soon. Please, be patient."

Cain only nodded, clenching his jaw and his fists. His blood ran hot, his pulse pounding in his ears. The pain of his failures and the relief at DG's recovery had given way to pure, raw fury. He couldn't follow the rest of the conversation, so intense was his anger. Before he knew it, the conference was over.

"Mr. Cain," her heard someone approach him softly and turned to see the Queen standing near. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Your Majesty," he said quickly, as he looked around and saw that the room had emptied except for the two of them.

"No, you are _not_ fine, Mr. Cain. I recognize the want of revenge. I have felt it."

"All due respect, Your Majesty, but I won't listen even if you order me not to seek it."

She looked into his eyes, solemnly weighing his intentions, but merely nodded her understanding.

* * *

DG had several doses of laudanum during the day, but she finally waved Joseph off in the evening when he brought up another dose.

"I think I'll be ok without it for a while," she said. "It doesn't hurt that much right now." Joseph had nodded, leaving the tincture on the nightstand, in case she might have need of it later.

Cain settled back on the edge of her bed, holding her hand gently. He was wearing his woolen duster and he held his fedora in his other hand. The set of his jaw didn't escape her notice.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Jeb managed to get a name and a location for the man responsible for the threats out of one of the men we took on the day that…" his voice trailed off, swallowing a lump in his throat as he looked away. "He's sending a small scouting party tonight to check out the lead—"

"You're leaving?!"

"I'm going with them to find this man," he said as he looked back into her eyes. "But I promise you…I _will_ come back. And when I do, I promise, nothing will ever be able to keep me away from you again."

Her eyes filled with tears as he bent down to kiss her forehead. He didn't look back as he walked out of the room, placing his fedora on his head.

* * *


	17. Hunt

Chapter 17 – Hunt

He met the four scouts at the opening in the maze. They were all dressed in civilian clothing; this would be a covert operation with no obvious ties to the Queen. Cain was to be considered an independent operative, though the men would give his suggestions serious weight. Looking one last time at DG's still-lit window on the third floor, Cain tipped the brim of his hat before stepping into the maze.

* * *

DG slept fitfully that night. Her body wanted to move and her arms and legs were beginning to tingle, the nerves numbing from not changing position for more than two whole days. She wanted to roll over, but when she tried, the stitches in her abdomen pulled painfully. Before she finally fell asleep, she eyed the glass of laudanum that Joseph had left earlier. She seriously considered drinking it, despite the horrid taste, but decided that she wasn't in that much pain.

She turned her head back to the other side, letting her thoughts drift to Cain. She blinked back tears as she remembered the look on his face just before he left. The set of his jaw, the steel in his eyes, the strength in his voice…he'd promised that he would come back, and when he did, the steel had softened. As with his apology, his promise had not contained an explicit declaration of anything. But the implied message in his eyes and the gentle brush of his lips against her forehead had spoken for him. She knew she couldn't live without that touch, and silently willed him to come back to her safely. As she slept, her dreams were filled with him, this time in hope.

* * *

They were bound for the Northern Realm and a specific location in one of the mountains that girded the Northern Island, travelling by night to blend into shadows and hopefully avoid detection. Somewhere in that frozen wasteland was Zane, the man that Twist had told Jeb was the leader of the terrorist faction. The small party moved surprisingly quickly, all of them accustomed to operating on small amounts of sleep and nourishment if needed. Cain actually found himself being pushed to his limits, but he was determined to see this through to its finish.

_Zane…_ The name was vaguely familiar to Cain, and he had a nagging feeling that he should remember it from somewhere. But the more he tried to remember, the further the information would slip from his mind.

Cain's finger began to itch as he kept his hand close to his holster. This had gone beyond personal. Whoever this man was, he'd singled Cain out for a twisted and dangerous game, and the Tin Man was tired of playing to Zane's rules. The note bearing ill-will against DG had actually been directed at him. He wasn't going to wait around to find out why. He sure as hell wasn't going to sit around and wait for him to strike again.

After two days, they'd followed recent tracks to the mouth of a cave set apart from the dense evergreen forest by a small clearing. Several men in tattered Longcoat uniforms stood outside, some keeping guard and some gathered around a fire. The scouts had drawn up short just inside the tree line of the clearing. Cain quickly counted 12 men, making the odds more than two-to-one, not counting how many more men were inside or elsewhere in the vicinity.

"Sir," said the ranking officer to Cain in a hoarse whisper, "I recommend we fall back and call for reinforcements."

"No time," replied Cain, keeping his voice low. "It took us two days to get here. It would take a troop even longer."

"Our orders were to gather recon and report back to the Queen for further instructions. We were not sanctioned to take any action—"

"In case you've forgotten, I'm here in an independent function. You've got a choice," he added, setting an undeniable steel edge to his voice. "You can either help me take down Zane, or you can run back to the Queen and wait for more men. Either way, I'm going in."

"Yes, sir," said the officer quietly. He looked at the Tin Man for a moment, who didn't meet his gaze while he double-checked the bullets in his six-shooter, weighing the conditions. A moment later, he spoke: "Alright, we'll cover you. We'll spread out through the tree line and set up to snipe out these twelve and any that might emerge from the cave."

"Just leave Zane to me," growled Cain. "I want answers before he meets his end."

The officer nodded, then sent his men to their positions.

* * *

He heard shots ringing outside the mouth of the cave. His face formed a cold grimace as he whirled to find his lieutenant coming to meet him.

"They've found us, sir," the other man said in a panic.

"How many?"

"We don't know. But the men at the entrance to the cave have already taken heavy casualties."

"Where are the sentries who were supposed to be watching the paths?" asked Zane in a low growl.

"They've already been recalled to the cave, but—"

"But, what, Thrash?"

"There were only two of them on duty," said the smaller man.

Zane scowled, his face becoming a hideous mask of hate, displeasure, and disgust. He grabbed his own rifle, moving to a sheltered nook in the cave wall, looking out as far as he dared.

* * *

Once the first shot rang out, chaos ensued. There was no shelter to be had by the men outside, and they made easy marks for the Militia men, all of whom had been honing their ambush skills over the past ten years. More men began to run out of the cave, all falling to the ground as the scouts continued to fire. After about ten minutes, Zane's men had figured out what was going on and took what little cover they could inside the cave.

A deceptive quiet fell in the shadows cast by the pale moon. Cain kept his eyes on the cave as he reloaded his gun. They could hear echoes of angry shouts moments later from inside.

* * *

He'd underestimated his opponent. Zane knew he should have anticipated this moment, should have known that a man like Cain wouldn't just sit on a gilded pillow like a good pet. He spat on the ground and swore, cursing the man. So…the ex-Tin Man had brought the fight to his front door. All the better to get him out of the way now so that he could have better access to the princesses, especially the younger one. He was about to risk a look around the wall against which he was standing when he heard his name.

"ZANE!" yelled Cain, earning a few choice words from the militia officer, who was sure that Cain was giving away their position. The officer was even more angry and astounded when Cain actually stood up and moved into the clearing and into the open.

* * *


	18. Reckoning

Chapter 18 – Reckoning

"Come on out, Zane!" yelled Cain again. "Let's have this over with!"

Zane looked around him. He had four men left, and, even though Cain was in the open, his men had the advantage of good cover in the trees.

"Thrash," he said to his lieutenant, "cover me. You know the sign to move." The man moved out into the open.

Cain held his gun on Zane, keeping as close to the tree line as he could, and measured the man standing opposite him, registering features that were familiar: cold grey eyes and a weak chin on a face with a high forehead. He still couldn't quite identify the familiarity. Zane was a younger man, with a scarred face that made him appear to be older, and he stood above average stature with broad shoulders. _Black…_

"I should warn you that I do still have men alive, and they'll kill you should you actually use that gun." The voice was gravelly, like something had stripped his vocal chords long ago. "And I wouldn't mind seeing you dead, though I would prefer to kill you myself."

"Oh, yeah?" asked Cain pointedly. "Why don't we call them out here so we can all get acquainted?"

"You don't intimidate me like you do DeMilo, Tin Man," Zane sneered in disgust.

At DeMilo's name, Cain raised an eyebrow. "Now, _there_ is something we need to talk about, Zane. You've played your game well, up to this point. You obviously know me, though I can't say I have the _pleasure_ of knowing you, well enough to know exactly who to turn to in order to get me that letter. Care to explain?"

Zane chuckled evilly, a sound like gravel in a blender. "Oh, come on, Mr. Cain! You don't recognize me after all of these annuals: another ghost from your distinguished past? Of course, the last time I saw you was before I ended up with fang pox that ruined my voice from a nasty Papay bite that nearly tore off my face. Then again, you never did care what happened us after the Sorceress came to power. Your ex-best friend and his family, that is."

Cain registered those words and felt his stomach sink like it was made of lead. _No…it can't be! _

"Who are you?" asked Cain again.

"I'm getting to that," the younger man answered as he began to pace. Cain followed him with the six-shooter, hoping to all the gods that the scouts behind him could get a good shot if the situation turned for the worst. "Mother always blamed you, you know, for my dad skipping out on us when I was a kid. She never said it, especially since you helped us out after he left. But she always blamed his change of heart on that fight the two of you got into before he defected. After you pulled your little disappearing act, we were left to fend for ourselves. That's when this happened," he said as he gestured to his face.

"How about you stop talking in circles, Zane, and get to the point?" interrupted Cain as he drew back the hammer of his gun.

Ignoring the order, Zane continued: "I finally found my father right after the eclipse, just before he died screaming your name."

"Just cut the crap and tell me who you are," the Tin Man said with all of the commanding steel in his voice that he could muster.

"Huhn," grunted Zane. "All those clues, and you still can't figure out who my father was. I found him in the tin can you left him in. He didn't even recognize me before he died."

The lead in Cain's stomach went from cold weight to a rolling boil as the name finally registered. _Zane_…Zero's son.

* * *

Cain blinked hard at the recollection. Zane had once been a sweet-tempered child with a fair face and light voice. His mother had wanted him to train as a minstrel when he grew up. He remembered the boy that had played with his own son all those annuals past. But that was a long time ago, before evil had taken hold of the O.Z. 

"Ahhh!" exclaimed Zane. "There it is! Tell me, which hole did you hide in for eight annuals while my mother and I rotted away?"

"It wasn't exactly a hole, Zane," said Cain wearily, not daring to lower his weapon. The young man in front of him was clearly insane.

"You know what, I really don't care. So, now that you know who I am, why don't I tell you what I'm after? Cause I'm really dying to tell you exactly how I'm going to get even for what you did to me."

"Zane, please, listen—"

"SHUT UP!" roared Zane as his patience waned. "I've dreamed of this day ever since my father left. You destroyed my world, and now I'm going to destroy yours, starting with your little pet at Finaqua."

The Tin Man felt his stomach contract in horror, finally understanding Zane's game. Zane noticed the change in Cain's face. "You know, I had planned on killing you in front of her before I had my way with the so–called princess, but that look on your face makes me think I should make you watch. What better way to destroy a man than to destroy the woman he loves right before his very eyes?"

Cain struggled to keep his voice calm as he answered, "I think you're forgetting that you haven't actually captured me yet."

"Details," said Zane menacingly. "Granted, I hadn't counted on you showing up here, but that just means that I don't have to hunt you down later," he added as he put his hands behind his back.

* * *

At that moment, all hell broke loose. Four men emerged from the cave, guns firing. Cain threw himself to the ground, rolling away from the cave and back into the underbrush. Shots rang out from behind him. He heard screams as bullets found their marks. He ducked his head under his hands, registering a burning sensation in his right arm.

As suddenly as it started, the shooting stopped. Cain cautiously raised his head above the brush, seeing that Zane and all four of his men were on the ground, holes torn through their heads or chests. Cain let out the breath that he didn't realize he'd been holding. He looked at his arm, which was still burning, and analyzed the graze, thankful that Zane's men had very poor aim.

The scouts found him just as he was tying off the bandage he'd torn from his shirt around his upper arm. "Report," he commanded when he heard them approach.

"All dead, sir, including Zane," said the ranking officer.

"Good," Cain said wearily as he looked around. He stood and walked to where Zane's body still lay. Kneeling beside the younger man, Cain bowed his head, choking on the bile that rose in the back of his throat. His blood still ran cold as he replayed Zane's words.

* * *


	19. Boon

Chapter 19 – Boon

DG sat in front of the fireplace in the sitting room. It had been four days since her Tin Man had left to find the terrorist Zane…four days of fussing to be let up and prying for information about Cain. Joseph had finally let her out of bed, but only if she agreed to keep seated as much as possible. He didn't want to take the stitches out for another two days, just to be on the safe side.

She gazed into the fireplace, watching the flames dance on the hearth. The clock chimed its familiar tune and she counted as it tolled the hour: eleven in the evening. Her eyelids were growing heavier by the minute, so she rested her head against the back of the settee upon which she was perched.

Azkedellia, who had insisted on keeping watch over her sister since Cain's departure, noticed DG's growing fatigue. "Deej," she said tentatively, "maybe you should go on up and get some sleep."

"No thanks, Az," DG answered tiredly. She raised her head to see Azkedellia looking at her with a raised eyebrow. "Just give it another hour, please?"

The older girl lowered her eyebrow. "That's what you said _two_ hours ago."

"He's coming, I know he is. Just one more hour, please?"

Azkedellia said nothing as she went back to her book with a sigh of displeased resignation. DG put her head down again, eyes on the fire and thoughts filled with ice-blue eyes. Soon, her eyes were closed and she was dreaming. Az noticed the change in her breathing and lowered her book. Sighing and rolling her eyes, she marked her place in her book and rose from her chair to find her father and Joseph so they could carry the sleeping princess to her chambers.

* * *

The scouts moved just as quickly on the way back to Finaqua as they had when they left. By the time they came to the maze, Cain felt like he was about to fall asleep mid-stride. He charged through it anyway, managing to coax a little more speed out of his fatigued legs. Pink tinged the sky all around, the suns rising to greet the day, as the castle doors opened and he walked through. Though it was early, Jeb was there to greet him. Father and son weighed each other with significant glances. Jeb broke the silence.

"I'll get a report from my men, but I'd like to hear what happened from you."

"It was Zane Smith," said Cain, watching as his son remembered the name. "He's dead."

"Did you—"

"No," said Cain wearily. "It came down to a shoot-out, but I didn't get a shot off." He motioned to his arm. "I'll let the men give you the whole story."

"I'll call Joseph."

Cain nodded, trying to ignore the fire that had begun to burn in the wound. He walked down to the kitchen, searching for some coffee. He found Glitch already up and rummaging in the cold storage for breakfast. The Zipperheaded half-wit smiled broadly when he turned around and found Cain at the counter pouring himself a steaming cup of coffee.

"Welcome home," Glitch said cheerily. Cain just grunted and then sat on a high stool at the counter with his back to the table, not ready to relive those memories. The Tin Man winced slightly as he took of his fedora and threw it on the counter-top.

"I was just about to put on breakfast," offered Glitch brightly.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're too cheerful in the morning?" asked Cain with a grimace.

"Has anyone told you that you're a grouch in the morning, even on a good day?" asked Glitch good-naturedly. Cain just grunted again.

Joseph came in then, carrying his kit, and Cain removed his duster. He started to complain when Joseph ripped the sleeve off his shirt, but his words were choked off by searing pain when the medic pressed a cloth soaked with antiseptic to his arm. The Tin Man hissed and closed his eyes.

"It's infected," said Joseph quickly. "I can't even tell if it needs stitches because it's too swollen."

"It's shallow and ragged," Cain bit out from between clenched teeth. "There's no way to stitch it."

"Well, I'm going to clean it up, put on a fresh bandage, and you are going to have to keep it clean, which means no more wild adventures for the next few weeks."

Cain looked at him through his fatigue and said, "Believe me…that's not going to be a problem. I'm getting too old for this."

* * *

An hour later, Cain was perched on the edge of DG's bed again, watching her sleep. He was exhausted, but he couldn't sleep until he knew that she was alright. He lightly brushed a stray lock of hair from her forehead, feeling the undeniable spark in his fingers as they brushed against her skin. As the light of the suns streamed through the window and rested on her face, his breath was taken away by her beauty.

He replayed the last week in his mind as he waited for her to awaken. He'd nearly lost her, and he knew that he couldn't bear to live his life without her near. Remembering her mother's words, his son's chastisements, and the joy on Adora's face in his dream, he knew he didn't have any more excuses. His defenses had come crashing down. The tin shield around his heart had finally opened.

He took her hand his own, running his thumb lightly across her knuckles. Even that light touch had his pulse rushing and pounding in his ears. Her eyes fluttered open, and he held his breath as her clear, sky blue gaze locked on to him. He swallowed the lump in his throat as she blinked, clearly unable to believe that he was sitting there. Her face broke into the biggest smile he'd ever seen as she bolted up and wrapped both arms around his neck. Of their own accord, his arms gathered to him tightly, ignoring the pain screaming through the right one. He pressed a kiss against her cheek.

* * *

Azkedellia noticed that DG's door was open a crack when she came to check on her. She pushed it open a little farther, stopping short as she saw her sister and Cain locked in a very…passionate embrace. She blushed and drew back from the door, nearly running into Glitch as she turned on her heel.

"Whoa…must be pretty intense in there for that blush," he said with a smile.

"Yeah, we might want to leave them alone for a while. And, why are smiling so broadly?"

"'Cause _I_ won the pot!" he said triumphantly. She looked at him for a moment, quickly counting in her head. He was right. She slipped her hand under his elbow, smiling impishly at the man who had endeared himself to her so much over the past month.

"So, what are you going to do with your winnings?"

"I had thought about buying a certain couple's wedding gift, but I might be persuaded to spend some of it on a very pretty lady." She playfully patted his arm, beaming a bright smile at him as she let him lead her to her favorite window in the sitting room.

* * *


	20. Epilogue

Epilogue

_Eight months later…_

Cain shifted nervously in his new uniform, tugging uncomfortably at the tight collar. He missed his comfortable shirt that he could leave open at the neck. He also hated big formal affairs, but he knew that he couldn't exactly escape this one.

After handling the Zane situation at Finaqua, the Queen had insisted on appointing Cain as Captain of the Royal Guard. Benning didn't object; he preferred his new position in the Royal Militia…it involved chasing criminals and traitors rather than the sometimes-poorly-behaved princesses. Cain had his moments when he really couldn't blame the man, especially when DG was feeling a little mischievous.

Azkedellia had decided against abdicating the throne and was spending the majority of her time on good-will missions throughout the Outer Zone, starting with the Fields of the Papay and nearby Milltown. Earning the trust of the people was slow work, but she was steadily gaining popularity. It probably helped that she was helping to fix the damage wrought through her hands.

There was still no way to restore Glitch. The libraries in Central City only confirmed what they'd previously found. Removal of the brain was used as a permanent measure, and there was no precedent for its restoration. But Glitch was learning that he didn't exactly need his whole brain to be a whole person. Misfiring synapses aside, he was happy. And Azkedellia and DG preferred the half-wit over their memories of the stuffy Ambrose.

Raw had returned to his people. The Viewers needed him to help smooth relations with the Royal Family. The psychics hadn't been happy with the Queen's decision of an heir, but that hadn't surprised anyone. Arguably, their people had seen the most abuse at the hands of the Sorceress, so their resistance wasn't unreasonable.

DG had actually settled into her role as a princess well. She spent some time on her own good will missions bringing light to darkness, which was her specific gift for magic. Each day that passed increased her sentiments for the people of the Outer Zone. They were becoming her people. Of course, Cain never left her side and his protective nature often chafed her under the collar, but she still loved him.

That love had been growing passionately for four months when he'd asked her to marry him. She hadn't noticed until that day that he'd stopped wearing Adora's ring. Her happiness over his proposal and his elation that she'd accepted had turned into a fairly heavy make-out session in the gazebo at Finaqua. As was typical when it came to DG's antics, her mother was scandalized, her father ended up crying in laughter, and her sister rolled her eyes until they nearly rolled out of her head.

Four months of harried planning later, and he stood in the biggest ballroom in the Royal Residence in Central City, in front of the Queen and her Consort, waiting for the younger princess to arrive. As nervous and uncomfortable as he was under the Queen's gaze, he almost didn't want to turn around to face the crowd as he heard the march that signified his bride's arrival. There were almost a thousand people in attendance, and almost all of the first quarter of the seats were filled with dignitaries and representatives of the peoples of the Realms. His first wedding had been easy…just a few friends and family. This wasn't a wedding; it was a circus!

But turning around was worth it. After only a second, he didn't even notice the other people in the room. She was stunning. No, stunning wasn't the right word…she was breath taking. She'd fought her mother for a simpler dress than the layered cake Lavender had originally thought appropriate. For one thing, she was trying to get out of wearing a corset. In the end, they had compromised. The white dress was elegant and simply stated with a shorter train and veil than her mother had wanted. The compromise was the tightly fitted bodice, which, of course, required a corset. She was carrying bright blue flowers that matched the color of her eyes. Her hair was swept off her shoulders with pieces left down in the front to curl around her face.

Their eyes locked from across the room and he went weak in the knees as she offered him a nervous half-smile. Time seemed to stand still while he waited for her to walk the length of the ballroom. His breath caught in his throat when she made it to his side and took his hand. They finished climbing the steps of the dais together.

He didn't hear the Queen's speech, and barely remembered saying his vows later. All he could remember was looking into her eyes and getting lost in them.

_The End…_

_Or is it?_


End file.
